Hidden Candy
by RezleVettems
Summary: Sometimes the best candy is the one behind your usual favorite. Konata realizes this, looking past even her age group and towards her teacher. With the realization of her new feelings, can she convinced her teacher to give her a chance? Can they match?
1. Chapter 1:Bed Lumps

Hidden Candy

Chapter 1: Bed Lumps

_Sometimes we eat the same candy, when the one behind it tastes the best._

Groaning, Nanako Kuroi rose from her mattress in a blurred daze. Wild curls and loose strands exploded from her blonde hair while thin bags curled beneath her snake green eyes. The clock read noon. Yesterday must have been a Friday. No, it must have been Payday Friday. "Tradition rings again," the woman happily and drunkenly sung, waving her arms about. Suddenly she felt a foot slide down her leg. Gazing at the large lump underneath her blanket, she realized what lied underneath. "Yui?"

Mumbles faintly oozed from the lumps. "Hmm?" But as soon as the sound came it vanished. Yui fell back to sleep. Kuroi grinned in resignation. "It finally happened huh? Bound to."

She hopped out of bed with an unusual morning spunk as the bathroom light flashed on. Brushing her hair down, letting it wave from side to side, she already cooked up a plan. She would have to gently let Yui collect her nerves and leave. Whatever happened between them last night was only a result of Kuroi's paycheck celebration-a tradition of getting wasted with her best friend after receiving her hard earned funds. "Imagine what this could do to her marriage…if we did do what I think we did. She's in my bed after all but perhaps we just fell asleep after coming here. Then again why did we come to my place? Hers is much closer from the bar."

"Yui, wake up." She grabbed a hold of the covers and pulled. Underneath slept one of the few things in the world that could snap her instantly out of her hangover. "K-K-Konata?!" Shaking from the sudden coolness, the blue haired otaku moaned, stretching her arms and legs out before rubbing her weary eyes. "Kuroi-sensei? What…what time is it?"

"_Did I….no, impossible…"_ Kuroi thought to herself. Konata spread out across the bed, taking the warm space Kuroi had left moments ago. Not knowing what to do, the teacher simply covered the petite girl back up and headed towards the kitchen. Her hands began to tremble, sending shivers into the coffee maker. Nervous pouring almost spilled her drink; she drank quickly, wishing for the image of Konata to simply fade away like a bad hallucination. Staring at the bed, the only thing Konata did was hug a pillow and roll over with it in her arms. "Did I do what I think I did to Konata? Wait! Are her clothes loose? She would be naked right? Or loosely dressed!"

She realized a dreadful fact. "Wait! I forgot! What _was_ she wearing?!" The only remaining option was to check the girl's body. Tiptoeing towards her own bed, Kuroi silently leaned her arm over the snorting girl, gently pulling the blanket away. Suddenly she covered the girl once again. "Maybe I don't want to know." Konata's soft snores continued to peacefully breeze into the room. Her teacher, however, began suffering from a thunderous drum in her chest.

"I'm an adult. I have to face the truth sooner or later. Might as well now." Nervously grabbing the blanket's edges, she paused. The truth was only a single unveiling away. But what if Konata had nothing but a bra and panties on? Worst, what if she had nothing on?! What horrors lied under the once comfy covers Nanako Kuroi used to melt away in on weary nights after net games? Pulling the blanket towards her, inch by inch, she could see Konata's arms unclothed. The neck was easily spotted along with her bare knees poking out. A foot without a sock was next. "This isn't good…" She then snatched the entire blanket away, facing whatever spiked truth brewed below. "She's…clothed. Casually in fact…"

"Sensei…what are you mumbling about so early in the morning?" Konata asked, flashing her bright green eyes at her teacher.

"It's the afternoon. And why are you in my bed? In my house?" Kuroi countered. She had to take the offensive and place the questions on Konata. To bring a student home was surely something she would never perceive as acceptable. Konata dragged the sheets back atop her body and burrowed into the bed. "It's not like you're in trouble," Konata muttered. "I'm 18 so I'm legal."

"That's not what I'm worried about. I'm a teacher and you're…wait…why did you say that first? What happened last night?!" Konata devilishly grinned, awakening completely to the panicked voice of her teacher. "If we did….what I hope we didn't do…I guess you have no choice but to report me to Yui." Konata peeked behind her shoulders, observing the worried expression on the older woman's face. "It's the proper thing to do."

"Why would I do that?" Konata asked. "Besides, I was just stated a fact. We didn't do anything last night. You were drunk, not me." Kuroi held her chest and sighed in relief.

"That's good. But how did you end up with me? I was out drinking with Yui, it was payday after all. Had to drink it up!" Kuroi cheered. Turning back, Konata rubbed her itchy bush of blue hair before preparing herself. "Well, I left work pretty late last night and Yui had to go home to do something so she told me to watch you. You were pretty drunk at the bar, dancing and happily describing your single life."

"Hey! It is a very fulfilling lifestyle!" fussed the fanged woman.

"You told me to take you home and you guided me there by foot. It wasn't very far after the subway," Konata said. "I called my Dad and told him I was sleeping over with you and he was okay with it."

"Your father trusts me too much…"

"You were a little frisky though," Konata smiled. That was the truth.

"What?! What did I do?"

"Let's see, you really danced a lot, you even tried to get me to dance with you. And, well, you grabbed me somewhere sensitive," Konata cutely said, placing a finger to her lips. The other hand signaled a squeezing motion. That could only mean one thing.

"I….groped you? A student?!"

"Not really. You started squeezing my thighs. It was a little strange but to each their own right?" casually said the surprisingly relaxed Konata, shrugging away the awkwardness. Kuroi stared in utter shock at the girl. "At least nothing happened. I really don't want anything on my record as a teacher."

"I wouldn't have told anybody," Konata said, rolling back into her cushy ditch. Kuroi watched as she quickly fell back to sleep. The least she could do was keep her at her house until later. Pulling her chair over, Kuroi hopped near her desk and turned the computer on. "I can pass the time with some games. I should probably watch those episodes I recorded a few nights ago." Adjusting the volume, she ensured it was quiet enough to not disturb Konata who serenely slept away under her sheets. It was almost angelic.

Minutes passed slowly. Enemy ships blew apart on Kuroi's computer screen with every button tap and mouse click she rapidly executed. The only time she took damage was when her eyes began to wander, wander away into the same direction each and every time. Seconds after the sight of explosions and rattling score points, she would glance at Konata. It started unconsciously but soon she noticed. The looking wouldn't stop even if she tried, it became a hobby. _"She is kinda cute," _she thought to herself. _"Why are her eyes so lazy looking? Does she sleep right at home?"_

The screen flashed red. "Crap! I lost!" Closing out the game window, she stared at her screen and all of the icons on her desktop. Oddly enough, she didn't feel like clicking or doing anything. Her eyes felt like sliding towards Konata again. _She really is cute like that. I feel ashamed for even looking…_

"Loneliness and desperation are turning me into a pedophile," she chuckled.

"I said I was 18," Konata said. Her eyes stared from behind the covers, sending a flinch through her teacher's arms and legs. "Didn't know I was up?"

"I don't even want to know what you're hinting at kid. Besides, I'm 27 and you're apparently 18," Kuroi said. She had felt like that was good enough to end further discussion. Konata pushed herself upwards until her back met the wall. A playfully seductive grin grew across her face.

"I know you're curious," she invited. Kuroi returned to her computer, typing up nothing special. She had to at least look busy and apathetic about the topic.

"Age difference doesn't really entice me Konata."

"I'm not talking about age. I'm talking about me."

The typing stopped, only for a few seconds. Peeking from the side of her eyes, Kuroi easily spotted the playful tone drawn across her student's expression. Konata was daring, that was minimal to say. Yet there was an uncanny seriousness to the girl's suggestion. The endless stare from her made this seem less and less like a joke. "Konata…maybe you did drink some sake last night. You need your rest. Go back to sleep," Kuroi nervously smiled. "I'll drop you off home after you wake up. You can have some snacks in the fridge before we leave. Besides, you have homework to do. I assigned a real load on you kids."

"I'm up anyway," Konata said.

"Good, I'll drop you off. Let's take you home!" the teacher cheered, grabbing her coat and dashing in step out of the house. There was nothing left to do except for Konata to slip in her shoes and follow her teacher to the car outside. Hopping into the passenger seat, Konata watched as the blonde woman turned the keys, checking behind for any oncoming cars. "So you get drunk every payday?" Konata asked. Kuroi nodded instantly in response.

"Yep, that's the way of life! Gotta spend if you want fun, save if you want to live," she chuckled, driving down the small town streets. Konata's small nose began to sniff the scent about her teacher. "You really don't smell bad after a hangover. That's a valuable quality."

"Hey, don't smell me," Kuroi murmured. "I just don't spill my drink all over myself. I'm a self-clean drinker. If others happen to get wet from my spills then that's different."

"I'd like to see that some time," noted Konata. "Maybe you can take me to a bar and show me the adult world!"

"Still talking about that? Listen Konata, you just need to go home and rest. I don't know what's gotten into you but there's no way I'm dating a student. Why are you interested in me anyway?"

"You know how you always choose the same old candy or snack but when you try a new one, you realized you should have been eating that the whole time?" Konata excitedly asked.

"You want to eat me?"

"That's a dirty way of putting it sensei," Konata grinned. "I just never realized before how much fun it could be to go out with you."

"Konata, I'm not that interesting. Besides, you're young, don't grab onto someone as old as me, not that I'm old. I'm still pretty young," Kuroi smiled, curving onto the next street.

"I don't mind your age. I like the matured body better anyway." Kuroi was beginning to notice how easy Konata said such blunt and direct things. Did she even care what others thought about her? "We could give it a try." Relief swept over the teacher as she quickly spotted the Izumi residence, pulling into the driveway. "Here we are Konata."

"Sensei…"

"I'm sorry Konata. It's just a little weird for me." She stretched her arm over Konata's lap, opening the passenger's door. "About that candy stuff, maybe you should appreciate it more. Look for someone your age. You don't want to be with someone like me." The otaku nodded, stepping out of the car with little else to say. Last night, when Yui asked her to help Kuroi get home, she was more than willing, and it was a perfect opportunity to be alone with her. It had been two weeks since her feelings suddenly bloomed for her teacher, since she decided to not idle about but to actually go for it and give it her all. She turned back to the car, gazing through the window. "My feelings are genuine," she said.

"I'm sorry Konata." Parting off with those words, Kuroi drove away, leaving Konata with what she could only describe as murkiness within. She didn't want to accept it, those words of rejection but if she could try her hardest to convince her teacher and still received a "no thanks", she would accept it.

"Time to go home and forget about this whole mishap," Kuroi sighed. "I'll crack open the good alcohol after I play some Monster Hunter!"

Yawning, Kuroi found herself in a daze. Hastily, she rolled over in her bed to check for snoring lumps. Nothing. "Good, didn't wake up with someone else….maybe I should cut down a little on the drinking." The memories of yesterday weren't gone but at least she could put them past her. "Still…" she muttered in front of the bathroom mirror. "I can understand where Konata's coming from with that whole _'Hidden Candy'_ stuff. At least she can acknowledge her feelings. Took me a long time to do that."

A crushing feeling then enveloped her head. "And here comes the hangover!" she grunted, rubbing her throbbing head. "I've really been on a path of self destruction lately huh?"

As usual for a early Saturday afternoon, she watch whatever baseball games were airing and remained a leg's stretch from her computer where she grinded her levels in preparation for another big hunt. Alone and well-stocked, she had little reason to leave the house. Maybe she never expected to actually go out with anybody. Konata's offer was sweet, that, Kuroi believed- an offer with honesty. Unfortunately, a student and teacher relationship was taboo. "I better play some games to keep my mind off of this."

She unraveled her long, luxurious hair and gently took her seat before the computer monitor. "Today will be the Valley of the Musicians!" she declared as she logged in. "What's this?" Peeking over at her message box, she could see several private messages from Konata.

"_I'll be on all night. I would really like to talk! ;)-Konakona!"_

"_I would like to talk before school on Monday. I should apologize for bothering you too but I have lots of fun with you! Why not have more?-Konakona!"_

The last one struck her as odd. _"I can't wait for tomorrow! Sorry if I'm junking up your inbox! 0 I'm glad this game updated to allow us 10 MBs of mailbox space. Mine is filled with all those messages from that battle with the Lich in the Mid Fields.-Konakona"_

"I don't remember talking to her. And was she always this playful?"

Just then a ringing came from the front door. "I'll be there in a minute," Kuroi explained, fixing her hair back into a ponytail. Heading towards the door, she was surprised to see no one through the door's window. At the end of the peephole stood Konata. Kuroi opened the door, curious why Konata walked all the way to her house. "Konata, what's up? And you seem to be well dressed. What's up?"

"I'm here for our date!" Konata cheered. "Now's your chance to trigger some flags though I don't really prefer 'accidental' events. I prefer a more direct approach."

"What…what date?" Kuroi asked. "I never agreed to that."

"On the phone. Don't you remember?" Konata asked. "I called you last night. I tried to talk to you online but you didn't log into the game so your inbox is probably full of messages from me. Sorry."

"A phone call?" Suddenly it all came back. Kuroi remembered the call. She didn't mean to say 'yes', it just slipped out!

"_Yeah! Who is this?" Kuroi loudly asked, rolling across her bed. Little to Konata's knowledge, her teacher was drunk. "It's me, Konata. I wanted to try and convince you one more time. A man can't call himself a man if he doesn't try!"_

"_Psssh! Konatty! You aren't a man!" Kuroi laughed. _

"_Konatty? Well, you seemed to be a lot happier than earlier. Did you hit up the ol' bottle sensei?" asked Konata. "Maybe I should strike when the iron is hot. What do you say about we go into the city tomorrow afternoon and have some fun? I know thse really neat places we could-"_

"_I…I would love to Konata! Every man deserves a chance! I'm so lonely around here…"_

"_Really? Cool! I'll see you tomorrow sensei!"_

"Crap…" Kuroi muttered, looking at Konata in her beige shorts and sleeveless, striped shirt. "I forgot about that call…."

"So you were drunk?" Konata innocently asked.

"Yep, unfortunately I was Konata. About today though…" She noticed the time from her oven. This is when she would usually cook dinner. It was a Saturday; she didn't want plain, home-cooked food either. Konata did look unusually cute. And how could she reject her after she was told yes? "Alright, alright," Kuroi resigned. "Just this once. Mostly because I'm hungry and don't feel like cooking and because I'll give you one fun night on the town which I promised….though I was drunk. Just don't be…Konata, try not to feel bad when it's over okay?"

"Foolish sensei! I'll change your heart by the end of the day!" Konata confidently said. "And I'll get into your bed without you being drunk this time!"

"That's pretty bold little one," Kuroi said, laughing with her coat already in hand. "Fine! Give me your best shot!"

* * *

Author's Note: It's finally uploaded! It was hard to organize this first chapter. I wanted something sort of realistic without adding any sadness or angst. This will be a fun story. Also, if you're reading Lucky Music-which I also write- please tell me if this is better written than that. Just curious.


	2. Chapter 2:How to Love Teachers

Hidden Candy

Chapter 2: How to Love Teachers

This evening Konata tightly grasped onto her one and only opportunity to convince Kuroi-sensei that dating her wasn't as ridiculous as it sounded. The biggest hindrance was being taken seriously. Kuroi-sensei has always watched the chest-high girl sleep away the day in class, joke around with friends and only spoke to her about games, homework, and television. The age difference would never help the situation either. _"It's just a crush," _Kuroi thought to herself. _"I'll prove I'm serious," _Konata countered.

Every crush before Kuroi lasted nearly a week, these budding feelings were stronger, and they would at times make it harder to breathe. A comforting warmth would flow through Konata, a sensation never present within her. And the trigger to all was only a single day at an inn, two weeks prior to this date.

Fiercerly hotter than any day the entire week, Kagami began to truly relish the weekend vacation Yui planned for them. The police officer came back from Konata's front door, smiling for the trip ahead. "Konata will be out in a minute, she has to delete something off her computer."

"She shouldn't have anything suspicious to hide on there," Kagami fussed, shielding her eyes from the sun. Tsukasa already slept away in the back seat of Kuroi's car, too excited to sleep the previous night. "I should thank you again for bringing Tsukasa and me with you."

"No problem," Yui waved off, "The police auction always brings up some surprises and a perk of being an officer is getting some stuff for free."

"Yeah, but a reservations at a beachside inn? That seems a little much," Kagami said in disbelief. Yui shook her head. "The criminal was a serial killer anyway. Butchered his family."

"You can feel better about that," Kuroi laughed. The girls heard the front door shut, seeing Konata and her wheeled suitcase hopping towards them. "I'm ready! Sorry, last night I went to the dark side of 2ch. I guess I went to sleep before I could delete my history. I'm just glad my dad didn't go on the computer yet."

"What?" Kagami asked confoundedly. "I didn't understand anything you just said. Forget it, we have a short vacation to get to. Who are you riding with?"

"You can have fun with Cousin Yui, I'll sit with Tsukasa and Kuroi-sensei." Everyone hopped into their chosen car, checking twice if their luggage was safe. Kagami had to make certain Tsukasa packed everything, exerting more effort for her weary sister. Konata wasn't one to make such a mistake and happily took the backseat. For some reason it was uncomfortable sitting next to your teacher.

"We're lucky your cousin has perks like that," Kuroi said, following Yui's lead down the road carefully this time. "The only perk we teachers get is to spend our money on students."

"Yeah, but it's to see our wonderful smiles," Konata teased. Tsukasa slid over and rested on the otaku's shoulder, abruptly ending further conversation. "A little heavy there Tsukasa…" she weakly mumbled, defending herself from her friend's full-on weight. The drive lasted only an hour and a half, Saitama Prefecture rested close to the coast without a car. Clearing the woods, Konata could see the inn lying atop a hill. The beach hid far below, down a beaten path of sand and signs. Yui stepped out first to confirm the reservations, walking out of the hotel later with a thumbs-up approval. "Good, we can get in," Kuroi grinned, getting out of the car. "Wake up Tsukasa."

Konata smiled smugly at her friend, thinking up a prank instantly. "Tsukasa, wake up. Gotta get ready for school."

"Okay, onee-chan," Tsukasa moaned, stretching her arms and legs out. Suddenly she began to unbutton her shirt. "Ohoho! What a surprise this is!" Konata cheered. Kuroi glanced at the window, shocked to see Tsukasa suddenly pulling down her shirt. "Tsukasa! What are you doing?!"

"Huh? Oh…OH!! Sorry!" Tsukasa exclaimed, putting her shirt back together. Kagami ran to the car quickly, seeing Tsukasa's red face blur by. "What happened?"

Konata's face of pure satisfaction was enough of a storyteller. "Tsukasa put on a little show for me. Almost saw her lovely chest."

"What?!"

"No need to worry, I just told her it was time for school and she started unbuttoning her shirt. Guess she takes a bath right after waking up huh?"

"Glad it wasn't me next to you," Kagami chuckled. "C'mon, let's go check out our rooms."

Konata and Kuroi pulled their luggage along, spotting Yui and the Hiiragi twins down the left hallway inside. The trees' rustling could be heard from even within the building. A turn of the knob released a sweet, rosary scent. The five explored the first room with awe sketched into their eyes. The futons alone felt softer than any others. Flowers were set aside on the table, welcoming the guests and giving a sample of the pleasurable service ahead. "Are you guys tired?" Yui asked.

"Nope!"

"Then let's head for the beach!"

Switching into their bathing suits as fast as possible, they grabbed their buckets, bags and tube. Kuroi made sure to bring her duffle bag this time and it wasn't filled with alcohol. Konata led the way despite never visiting the area. "You seem ready for action," Yui noted, noticing the energetic brightness in her fellow chaperone's eyes. "I'm usually energetic when I get a good night's sleep."

"I see. What's in the bag?"

"That's a surprise for the girls. Don't act weird or else they'll suspect something and ruin the ambush."

"Nipah!" Konata screamed out, jumping into the water. She ran out shivering, taking her float with her. Kagami's laughter rang from a distance; she enjoyed seeing Konata being deceived on such rare occasions. "Slowly step in and get use to the water," Kagami advised, dipping her foot in. A hand reached for her back, pushing her into the water. "Tsukasa!"

"That wasn't me! It was Kuroi-sensei!"

"Way to go sensei!" Konata cheered, returning to the waters. "This time I'll be joining you girls," Kuroi revealed, walking until her bikini was completely underwater. After a hard week of studying, work and casual living the girls would chase each other with seaweed, collect shells and build sand castles. Kuroi joined in all these activities with them, making it more fun and surprising the girls. Konata would sometimes find herself pausing and just watching Kuroi-sensei. She felt like something big was glowing right in front of her but she couldn't figure it out. In the mean time, her heart raced and her hands would sometimes shake. "Time for a contest!" Yui declared. "Which team can make the best sand castle?"

"That's easy! Kagami and I will obliterate the opposition!" Konata boasted. Kagami had already left her friend's side and walked over to Tsukasa. "It's a Hiiragi tag team!"

"Don't worry Konata, you have experience on your side," Kuroi said, patting her student's shoulder. She grabbed a bucket and starting filling it with sand. Konata watched silently, unable to respond to what just happened. "Okay…but I choose what to build! Move aside; let the fresh blood show you the new world! No, the new era!"

"How much can you change a castle?" Kuroi asked. High tide set in minutes before they completed it. Konata stood proudly at her design. Kagami and Tsukasa moved over to unveil a standard medieval caste, complete with etches for the bricks. "Sorry you two, I think Konata and I win this."

"I present to you, Howl's Moving Castle! Excluding the movement," Konata exclaimed. Kagami and Tsukasa moved in closer, their eyes unable to grasp every inch of the magnanimous masterpiece before them. Yet again another hidden talent of Konata's was revealed. "This is so complicated and detailed!" Kagami said. "It's like there's miniature buildings inside. We have to take a picture."

"See Konata, we make a pretty good team," Kuroi said, wrapping her arm around the petite girl. "My effort and your creativity…and excellent memorization, have brought us victory and victory means the Hiiragi's pay for dinner!"

"What?!"

"I'm just kidding. You can just buy us some sodas." The blonde then leaned into her partner's ear. "Hey Konata," she whispered. "You know the losers must be wiped from history's pages."

Konata was surprised to hear such a playful tone in her teacher's voice. In her mind, something was breaking apart. An unexpected excitement rose in Konata's chest. All she could do now was blindly nod to Kuroi's statement. "Follow me Konata. I got something in my bag we can use."

Kagami and Tsukasa busily snapped pictures of the artwork, feeling lucky to have an opportunity to do so. "We got enough. Konata sure surprises me with her…where is she? And where did sensei go?"

Turning back to check on their castle, Kagami could see a stream of water spewing from Konata and Kuroi's waist. "Oh my god! What are they doing?!"

"Wanna see Kagami? I know you want to," Konata seductively asked. Both of them turned around, revealing water guns in their hands. "The losers of history must be wiped clean!"

"Oh…it's water guns," Kagami sighed in relief. Tsukasa didn't respond, not understanding what she thought it could have been. "With your homeland destroyed, you're next," Kuroi evilly grinned, assaulting the two twins. They screamed in defeat as they covered themselves from the shots. "I'll be merciful, if you two want water guns, I brought some in my bag."

"Good. Let's show them Tsukasa!"

"Yeah!"

Running to the bag, the two pulled out their pistols, ready for battle. A hit! Kuroi and Konata ambushed the two, soaking their heads. "Gotcha!" Kuroi bragged. Konata rubbed her gun slowly. "My bullets have been craving blood."

"I'm not easy to take down," Kagami warned. "You might be small and she might be our teacher but a gun knows no love."

Tsukasa dashed to the right, curving behind the two but Konata spun around and aimed for her target perfectly. Kagami rolled across the sand, aiming for her teacher's stomach. "I've been shot Konata…right in the stomach!" she cried out, falling to the ground.

"Sensei, no!" Konata called out, playing along happily. She held her teacher's head up, crying to the heavens for mercy. "What about our lovechild? Will she fade along with you into the nothingness?"

"I'll wait at the pearly gates for ya," Kuroi said, reaching for Konata's face. It was over; the wound from the water gun was too much. Konata froze; her mind suddenly left the game they were playing. A throbbing excitement began to pound in her chest as her teacher's green eyes vanished beneath a silent curtain. Wetness dripped from the back of her blue head. Kagami stood victoriously behind the otaku. "You'll see her earlier than you think little one."

Konata realized where she was, remembering the game she was in. "Oh! I've been taken down right beside my lover! What a cruel fate!" She fell back onto the sand. "But my final revenge will be so!"

Grabbing her water gun, she aimed for Tsukasa's head and fired. "I take your sister with me! Curse you Hiiragi, I couldn't fight the power, break the unbreakable or see the invisible!"

"What is that from this time?"

"Time to go back to the inn. They're serving dinner soon!" Yui reminded. Kuroi and Tsukasa lifted themselves up from the ground, patting down the sand of their legs and back. Kagami walked ahead, leaving Konata the last one to get up. She couldn't seem to stop looking at her teacher. She couldn't even realize there was an evening sun behind her this entire time. "Kuroi-sensei…"

"Hmm?"

"Oh, nothing. I had a lot of fun today," Konata said, running to catch up with the group. Returning to their rooms, everyone found robes hanging in their closets. Walking into the dining room with them, Konata couldn't help but feel like she was joining some cult. "Everyone wears the same thing and eats from the same buffet."

As if fate, Kagami once again sat by Tsukasa, leaving Konata at the edge of the table next to Kuroi. "What did you get Konata? The meatballs?"

"Yeah, they're pretty good. A bit too much seasoning."

"Can I try one?" Kuroi asked, clacking her chopsticks. Konata pushed her plate to the side, letting her teacher pick one out. Her body grew warmer as she felt Kuroi's elbow poke hers. Every inch closer she got to Konata, the warmer she made her. In the back of her head, something began to crumble further. She knew what this feeling was; she just couldn't explain how it came to her. With such an essential part missing, all that was left was sudden excitement and a sense of incompleteness.

After dinner, the group headed back to the room. "I'm too tired for a bath," Tsukasa said, plopping into her futon. "It is pretty late, despite how nasty that sounds," Kagami said, taking the spot next to her sister. Yui and Kuroi headed for their beds, leaving Konata wide awake and alone. _"Might as well try to sleep if everyone else is."_

Yui shut off the lights, dimming the room. Kagami and Tsukasa closed their eyes and almost instantly fell into dreamland. Yui wished her husband a good night before closing her cell phone and snuggling into the covers. Konata's only choice was to stare at the roof and think to herself. She wanted to try and figure out what was going on, what she felt since the beach, how her teacher fit into everything. Minutes slowly passed, soon flying away into a wind of time. Konata lost track of the world around, her mind now revolving around this new issue.

"Konata," Kuroi whispered.

"Hmm?"

"You awake?"

"I can't really sleep," Konata smiled. Kuroi turned over, looking at the small girl. "Got anything to do? I can't sleep either."

"There's my DS in the bag. I don't know if you would want to play that with me," Konata quietly said, feeling as if a wonderful opportunity was presented to her. Kuroi's raised her eyebrows in curiosity, telling Konata to whip it out. Pulling it out of her luggage, Konata crawled back into her futon while Kuroi moved in closer to her to see how a Nintendo DS was played.

Konata tapped the screen with a small stick, choosing a simple 2D scroller for her teacher. "This is Mario, it should be easy for you."

"Of course it's easy," Kuroi grinned, feeling the DS slip into her hands. "I played this when the Super Nintendo came out."

"Really?"

"Yep. I remember this level perfectly! A remake is nothing against me! I was half your age then," she explained, clearing the level without damage or difficulty. "What's this?"

"A new level they added into the remake."

"What the?! There's all these crazy fish zooming by!"

"You have to jump on them to reach the big coin at the top!"

"Oh, I see Got it, got it….Got it!! Haha! Remakes are nothing!" Kuroi cheered, continuing game play through the new, unexplored stage. "And cleared!"

"You're really good," Konata noted. "But I like to see you pass this level. Even a pro should have troubles finding all the coins."

"That sounds like a challenge little one."

Without warning, without any hint or word of advice, the two found themselves switching and playing early into the morning. Constantly cheering each other on and advising what the other should do, they managed to finish the game in one setting. "We won!" Konata moaned, sliding the DS back into her backpack. "I'm really tired!"

"Me too. It's what? 3 in the morning?"

"I'm beat from all that playing. We actually won it."

"Yeah…but before we go to sleep, we're in the countryside right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Why don't we step outside? I'm sure the night sky is beautiful here," Kuroi suggested, already rising from her bed. Konata nodded, sliding into her slippers and quietly walking behind her teacher. The balcony was around the corner from their room. Konata shook her head and pointed to the entrance. Trying their best, they slowly closed the door and stepped outside of the inn, choosing the beach over the balcony.

Konata's shoe hit a rock, nearly sending her flat on her face. Kuroi saved her from the fall, keeping a firm grip on her student's arm and waist. "Thanks."

"No problem."

A chill whipped the two in the face and arms. "We can't be out here too long," Kuroi said, "We might catch a cold."

"But the night sky sure is beautiful," Konata serenely said. Kuroi couldn't agree more, it was majestic. Above them glittered the universe's screensaver, twinkling and lighting the cosmos above them. Konata's gaze glided towards the ocean, closing her eyes and listening to the waves sweep the beach and retreat back into the sea. Next to her, only a hand's reach away, was her teacher. Kuroi felt different, she was still who she was but through Konata's eyes, she knew her teacher was different.

"_I've never really seen her so relaxed and playful…"_ Konata thought to herself. _"Then again, she's always been this way. Maybe I've never noticed…"_

"_Tonight, she looks really pretty. But she's always looked that way. Then again, I've always thought she was pretty. Why is she making me feel like this? She's not my teacher anymore, that's how it feels."_

Everything snapped together. Konata's tired green eyes peeked at Kuroi, who looked upwards at the sky in utter peace and serenity. A calming, gentle smile caressed her teacher's lips-the final trigger. Konata knew everything. Slowly stepping closer to her, Konata closed her eyes and rested her head against Kuroi's shoulder. _"Through my eyes, she no longer is my teacher. I've grown up a little. I can see her as a person now, a real person, maybe even…someone for me. So...what I'm feeling, is it love?"_

The trip ended Sunday evening, sending Konata and her friends back to the grim reality of school and house chores. Konata was the last to be dropped off by Kuroi. Yui had to hurry home and greet her husband so she could enjoy one of the few nights he had off. Parked in front of the Izumi household, Kuroi unlocked the doors. "It was a pretty fun weekend."

"Yeah…"

"Something wrong?"

"No. I'm just a little tired," Konata lied. "I'll see you tomorrow at school…sensei."

"Bye. I might be online later, so we can play or something."

"Okay," Konata said, waving at her teacher. "I might sign in. _Especially if it's with you."_

Was this a sign of growing up? The short time she spent this weekend with her teacher destroyed the perception of an authoritative. She could finally realize the person behind the job and she embraced it. Her head told her it was foolish to pursuit but her heart denied the notion. She wanted to at least try. To convince her teacher that her feelings were genuine became a later goal in the period of two weeks. She spent the time observing and analyzing everything she knew about Kuroi.

Talking less with her and spending more time watching, Konata couldn't blame Kuroi's surprise when she would suddenly be asked out by one of her students. Her feelings never weaken, they only grew stronger. It was her teacher's personality, the biggest trait that hid behind a job title which attracted Konata. She was already beautiful but combined with everything Konata could see and hear, she became perfect for her.

She planned several attempts to confess, even asking to speak after school. The plans would fall, eventually falling into "I just wanted to ask about the campaign online tonight? Are you coming?" and "What will be on the next test?"

Kuroi ignored her suspicions and answered Konata's whimsical questions, ignorant of what truly beat beneath her student's heart. One particular incident pushed Konata onto a different path. Kuroi entered the class as usual, greeting all her students with a friendly wave and hello. Before stacking her papers on her desk, she found a rose and plastic wrapped chocolates standing there. Taking the card off, all it said was "From a secret admirer".

"Who's this from?" Kuroi curiously asked. Konata failed to respond, she even failed to write her name on the card like she wanted to. With all her experience with love games and teasing her friends, she succumbed to her sudden shyness to confess. She wanted to raise her hand but she couldn't. Her body refused to. She wanted to drop hints, use proper body language but she couldn't. All these failures, these fearful acts made her feel stupid; it embarrassed her without ever requiring the eyes of others. Never did she expect to feel this way or how poorly she would handle the situation.

"_That's it! I'm going to be more direct with this! Make it clear!"_ she told herself. _"No more failures! No more backing out!"_

Today she finally had her chance. Through two incidents of drunkenness, one in celebration of her paycheck and the other to forget about Konata waking up in her bed, Kuroi set up perfect conditions for Konata to move in. This date was the otaku's only hope to win her teacher over, to at least have a chance. Anything to see that wonderful, beautiful smile again.

* * *

Author's Note: There! Whoo! Did it! The second chapter will be up shortly. I had to retype this chapter so many times. I mean, how does one really fall in love with someone they've known all this time? I had to actually go out and research that. I just hope I was able to do what I wanted with this chapter. Please review and send in your opinions. Criticisms are always worth a read!


	3. Chapter 3:One Chance

Hidden Candy

Chapter 3: One Chance

"_Walking through the city with a student huh?" _Kuroi thought to herself, watching Konata walk in a rather upbeat manner. Her legs seem to kick out a little further than normal. Was she really this excited about going out with her teacher? She felt like mumbling these thoughts in her scarf but she knew Konata would notice despite her excitement. The slight chill in the city air did little to bother the petite girl but Kuroi didn't feel like asking why. From recent events, she got the feeling she would hear a perverted answer. "Konata, you know, you seem a little different than how you act in class or when we go to other places."

"What do you mean?"

"You seem a little…lecherous."

"That was me just being direct," Konata chuckled, swinging her hand in the air. In all honesty, she barely thought of such things with Kuroi. Playing adult games didn't completely cover everything about what adults did or want. Knowing how much older her teacher was, it managed to create a nervousness within. These thoughts, however, were now attached to the day ahead. "I'm not really like that though."  
"You're not?"

"Nope. But I'm not entirely innocent either!" Konata cheered.

"See, now you're confusing me," Kuroi chuckled. Aimlessly, they explored the dimmed city with the setting sun behind them. An unexpected line up of pastries exploded brightly into their eyes, drawing them near the display windows. "Cakes," Kuroi said with envy. "We should just buy one and go home, completely gobble it up."

"I know what you mean." Konata pressed her face against the window, stalking the cakes with her eyes. "Don't stick your face on that," Kuroi said, pulling out a handkerchief. She cleaned Konata's bubbly cheeks, secretly enjoying the beanbag softness within. "Anyway, we can't spend all night looking at cakes. Wanna go to a club or something?"

"A club? I'm not 2l and I don't think they'd allow you in. They might think you're a predator on the prowl for high school fawn."

"You don't seem to mind at all…" said Kuroi under her chuckle. Konata stopped in her tracks, finding an amazing attraction shortly up ahead. "This should work," she said. "What's this? A photo booth?" Kuroi asked, peeking inside. Konata pushed her in, already slipping the quarters in. Sitting closely next to the older woman, Konata gave her weirdest smile at the camera. A series of flashes snapped the shots, printing them out a minute later. Konata walked out, examining them. "What's this?"

"Yeah, you made silly faces in every one," Kuroi said with a smile. "Didn't take it seriously huh?"

"Who needs to? We're going to try this again."

"Wait, why?"

"Act silly with me," Konata invited. Kuroi stood on the evening sidewalk, unsure of how to respond. Konata continue to pat the seat, inviting her teacher inside the booth with unusual dances and faces. "Okay," Kuroi said, growing a bigger smile in her lips. Sliding next to Konata, she could see the red light blinking. She lifted her upper lip for the first shot. The two started grinning, grunting, growling and playfully fighting each other for each picture. Sometimes they were singers performing a duet, others they were dead pan businessmen. Konata's favorite was the pretended "Lost in your Eyes" look the two gave each other. "Now that's the goal for tonight!" she happily declared.

"Don't get cocky," Kuroi said, stepping out of the booth afterwards. She looked at the pictures over Konata, having to snatch them up herself to truly realize what she had just done. "Look at all these faces you made me do."

"Yeah, funny aren't they?" Konata said, pointing at the businessmen look. "Yeah, look at us. So weird and deformed," Kuroi said. She couldn't help but laugh at them. This wasn't her first time doing this on a date but tonight it was different. "Look, a candy store!" Konata pointed out. "And they're passing out free samples."

"Let's go before all the moochers take them all away," Kuroi replied, heading inside. The store was called "United Nation of Candies", featuring unique treats from every corner of the globe. Konata picked up a sample chocolate bar from Germany. "This…is so rich! Try a piece!"

Kuroi ripped a piece off, popping it into her mouth. "You're right! Germany's always been known for it's chocolate. Look, stuff from Russia."

"Bleh! This is awful," Konata moaned, sticking her tongue out.

"Don't say that out loud," Kuroi advised, trying a piece next. "Uh…that really is terrible."

"Hypocrite."

"It's a date, you shouldn't be calling me names," Kuroi grinned. "Maybe I should put some candy in that mouth to keep you quiet." The two roamed the store, trying pieces of every country. Chocolates, fruit blends, soft chewables and hard blocks you had to suck on. "I think that's enough," Kuroi said with satisfaction.

"You can't say that when we cleaned out all the free samples," Konata added. "I guess we turned out to be the moochers."

"Yeah, we should buy something. Can I have this brownie?"

"Please, please. I'll pay for this," Konata smugly offered, already handing the cashier a few yen. "Enjoy milady."

"Why thank you Konata. Quite the gentleman aren't we?"

"I only aim to please, as is the job of a host." The two left the store, already splitting the brownie and taking it from this world. "So, where do you want to eat? I see a lot of nice restaurants around here. I have some cash to burn," Kuroi said, skimming across the area.

"Why don't we go there?" The blonde looked to where her student's finger pointed, across the street stood a calm diner though the menu's pictures alone looked more fast-food than anything. "That's where you want to eat on a date?"

"Why, is there a problem with it?"

"You have a lot to learn about romance Konata. The first date is always nice and dignified. 20 points off."

"Grading me on a date?! You're pretty dedicated!"

"It's my life's work!" she replied before the two walked over to the edge of the sidewalk, her taking the lead. Traffic zoomed by before them, keeping them from their meal for quite some time. Standing next to Konata, Kuroi couldn't help once again falling prey to Konata's cute face. The small girl was always cute, _that_ she had to admit. Alone on this date, she felt as if she could really get a good look at the girl. _"I wonder if she thinks I'm cute? Wait….what the heck? What kind of thought is that?"_

"The cars stopped," Konata interrupted, snapping her teacher back to reality.

"Oh, well then let's go," the older woman said, walking ahead. Konata grinned as her teacher's ponytail swung to and fro before her. She found herself bumping into the woman on the other side of the street. "Oh, sorry Konata. I was just looking inside. Are you sure you really want to eat here? Money isn't that much of an issue, I'm not broke."

"I know. I just want to eat here. They have a small dessert buffet too if you like sweets," Konata explained as she gazed through the window. "Really?" Kuroi leaned over her shoulder, following Konata's line of sight to the glorious, shimmering array of snacks in the corner of the restaurant. A cool wall of air hit the two the second they entered though still warmer compared to outside. A waiter spotted them and quickly made his way to the counter at the entrance. "Would you two like a seat?"

"Yes. Just two," Kuroi said.

"Okay, please wait a few minutes. We're a little busy tonight."

"No problem," answered Kuroi, standing in place. She suddenly noticed Konata wasn't next to her anymore. Searching around the place, she caught her peeking at the merchandise behind the glass counter. A chuckle squeaked in her throat. "Toys huh? Are you sure you're ready for the big girls like me?"

"Many grown people collect toys. Right now a lot of businesses are trying to make their own cute mascot to draw in fans," Konata pointed out. "But this just fails in the end. It's eyes are too small."

"It has eyes? Where?"

Konata poked the glass, forcing Kuroi to squint. "Those small black dots. It looks like it was never meant to have any in the first place. It's kind of creepy."

"Yeah, looks like the monster we fought in the Wet Caverns that one time."

"Oh yeah, that one time when Jojo687 fell into the trap and lost the sword he just got!" Konata laughed, infecting Kuroi with the humor as well. The memory poured in instantly. "Yeah, I remember that too! He was dancing so much about it with those stupid animations and then charged right into that den! So stupid!"

"I would have just quit for the night after that," added Konata.

"Me too. After all that hard work it feels bad to lose it all for something silly like that."

"Table for two is ready," the waiter announced, staring at the two. "Are you two interested in purchasing something from the counter?"

"No, no thanks," Kuroi lightly chuckled, wiping her eye. She leaned over towards Konata's ear as they followed the waiter. "Like we want to buy a monster from D. Gray Man."

Konata nearly choked on her own laughter, holding it back as much as can with her hands. A loud, choked snorting came out. The entire restaurant turned to see Konata holding her mouth shut. She turned to Kuroi who burst into laughter, stealing away any effort Konata had to keep hers down. Sitting down and taking their menus, the two continued their eruption. "What was that?!" Kuroi asked, finding her breath again.

"I don't know. It wasn't that funny, I just tried to hold it down."

"Okay, okay," Kuroi said, still panting. "Let's look at this menu."

Konata opened hers, already knowing what she wanted. This place often advertised on her usual websites and blogs so there was nothing new. Kuroi immediately went over to the health section, searching for the least fat-pumped food she could find. "You're not fat at all," Konata said. "Why are you looking in the Healthy Choices section?"

"I have to keep up my figure. I get only a few chances to exercise a week."

"I think you look pretty attractive. It's really working."

"T-thank you," Kuroi said in the calmest way she could. That compliment really did hit the spot, even if it did come from a student. "I like your ponytail too. It looks good on you."

"Really? I usually keep it like this though. I was thinking of changing styles."

"I think the little bundled way you keep it suits you more. It's crazier than the other one. Or you can just let it all out like mine. Then we can be hair sisters," said Konata.

"I thought so too, about the bundle, not the hair sister thing. I guess we have similar taste in hair after all and…though I hate to say it, you look really cute too Konata."

"Oh teacher, that's one flag up!"

"It's a shame I know exactly what you're talking about. Time to change the subject. What do you recommend then? I'll eat whatever tastes good."

"Then have an American Hamburger! You'll get everything in grease and condiments!"

"Only if you'll eat it too. If I'm going to suffer, you will too."

"I accept!"

"Your American Hamburgers," the waiter introduced, placing the massive meals before the two. Their "oh"s of awe hummed away before they wrapped their hands around the ¾ pound hamburgers. "Scared Konata? It might explode that small stomach of yours," Kuroi grinned.

"I'm not the one to worry about. I'm sure you're a closet pig who can wolf this down with no mercry. I've seen your kind, slim yet you burn your food into ashes."

"Heh heh, perhaps."

Leaving the restaurant with their hands around their stomachs, moans floating out of their suffering hearts. Konata could feel her stomach being pulled towards the earth like a magnet. Kuroi's heart jumped after discovering how many calories were actually inside that hamburger. She looked through the windows, lamenting for the cake buffet she could never touch. To eat another bite would be suicide. "I feel a little better," Konata said. "Guess we shouldn't have eaten that much huh?"

"Yeah…" Kuroi said, finding a bench. Konata turned her head. "What's wrong? Have heart burn?

"I'm not that old! No, it's just…that was really fun. The dinner, the talking, the laughing."

"Well, it's not over yet. I won't stop until I win your heart," Konata declared. "We should help burn these new calories off with something fun." Konata began to walk off, leaving the teacher behind.

"My heart isn't that easy. Where are you going?"

"Follow me and you'll see."

Walking beside Konata, she could see several dating spots past by. They navigated past the park, away from the beach, even the clubs. What was Konata planning to do? Go to a game store? "Wait, we're not going to buy a game are we?" Kuroi asked, becoming worried that may be the truth.

"Why would we do that?" Konata asked, turning back to see the worried look on her teacher's face. "We're going to _play_ games!"

Konata ran ahead, making Kuroi chase after her. When the otaku finally stopped, Kuroi could see a large arcade center lit to the brim with flashes and dazzles. "An arcade center?"

"It's more than that. It's a great place with food and drinks. They even have alcohol if you want," Konata hinted.

"I'm not a drunkard."

"Besides, it's not the typical arcade you're thinking of. I promise you'll have fun."

"Okay, I'll give you a chance. It may not be the most romantic choice but I'm sure you have something up your sleeve."

"Nope."

"Hmm?"

"C'mon!" Konata walked in without her, leaving Kuroi surprised again this evening. "What kind of girl is she anyway?" The city lights flickered on around her, night was peaking. "Wait for me Konata."

Rings, dings and the rustle of paper bombarded Kuroi's ears. It took her a second to get used to the irritating noise. Finding Konata near the pinball machine, she walked over. "I already found some fun games to play," Konata said, pointing over to the arcade section. Kuroi analyzed the new, electric world around her. She hadn't been to an arcade center since she was a high school girl but this place greatly contrasted even that memory. "Zombie Hunter 78! The sequel to Zombie Hunter 77!" Konata declared. "This one's on me!"

"Don't sound smug when you barely even paid for dinner."

"Grab a gun. You're my sidekick."

"Okay. But don't be sur-whoa!"

"Match is on! Zombies don't wait for the loading bar anymore granny!" Konata said with cockiness, shooting down every zombie that dashed for her.

"Granny? Take that!" Kuroi cheered, blasting away a zombie that nearly caught Konata's character. Her fingers recalled the feel of a toy trigger in them. How long had it been? Few onlookers glanced at them, yet she could hear no laughs or whispers. No one was finding the image of these two together strange? Or perhaps they didn't know.

"Thanks for the save!" Konata exclaimed, finishing the zombie the blonde just shot down.

"No matter the age, a shooter game is a shooter game!" She had to admit, she felt excited, she could let loose. Tag teaming the haunted mansion, the game reached its climax. The King Zombie arrived, wearing a crown and holding a scepter. For some reason Kuroi couldn't understand, he could cast magic too and perform alchemy. It took almost all of their ammo but the two managed to finish it off with barely any damage to their health. "If I were to lose to a zombie, could I truly call myself the King of Games?" Konata commented, setting the gun back into its slot. A small bead of sweat popped from Kuroi's forehead, a new sight for Konata. But more captivating than that, was the full-white grin on her teacher's face-fangs and all.

"That was fun. How about another game?" Kuroi asked, already looking around for a new activity.

"Sure, they have bowling and batting cages too."

"Batting cages? You just said the magic words."

Following Konata, her apparent tour guide through the place, she could hear the swing of bats against launched baseballs. If Konata represented the good in videogames, Kuroi symbolized the good in baseball. "Let me show you the reason my high school team made me ultimate batter!" Kuroi boasted, picking up a bat and inserting a coin into the ball machine.

"Kill them dead sensei!!" Konata cheered from behind the fence.

"Here it…comes!" With a mighty swing the first ball was laid to rest. "Next!"

"Fufufu! The Prince of Baseball!"

"No ball can beat me, I beat balls!" Kuroi declared. Konata starting giggling. "That doesn't sound like something a grown woman should say. Maybe no woman should."

"Be quiet," Kuroi said, shaking in laughter at her own words as well. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Hahaha! Watch out!" A ball came at Kuroi when her back was turned. She instinctively memorized where the balls would hit and swung backwards. The ball went flying. Konata froze at the sight. There was just an unusual sense of absolute about her teacher. Bright yellow hair span in the air, curling around her body. Everything around her faded, becoming a blank canvas for her unique, oddly enchanting posture. Kuroi, for that split second, was truly wondrous beyond all words. "That was really amazing."

"Thank you," Kuroi said with a smile, wiping her forehead with a cloth.

"The way you were positioned was kind of arousing too. That twist in your back and…"

"D-don't' say something like that," Kuroi nervously said, growing red in the face. "Did you want to try or something?"

"Naw. I'm good at running but not a baseball, or am I?" Konata wondered, putting on Kuroi's helmet and bat, feeling warmth on the handle and atop her head. The balls came at her and unexpectedly, she was able to strike back at top speed. Every swing brought her hair into a curve around her body. For once, Konata had a look of concentration about her, something that impressed Kuroi, even touched her. Konata did miss a few hits but compared to regular players it was still amazing.

"Was that good?"

"Heck yeah," Kuroi commented. "You really do hold a lot of surprises."

"What do you want to play next?"

"I don't know. You're the one who's supposed to be guiding me. You're sensei for the day."

"How about one-on-one bowling?"

"Sounds good."

"But," Konata stopped. "Maybe we should do a penalty game."

"Penalty game? Forget that," Kuroi said, not wanting to risk whatever was going on in Konata's head. The last thing she needed to do on a date with a student was act crazy and streak across the neighborhood, though she never would anyway. "How about the loser does something nice for the winner?" Konata suggested.

"Much better. Let's go before someone takes a spot."

Konata already planned her prize but even if she lost this would be an excellent opportunity to see what Kuroi would make her do. Every loss had a prize and every victory had two. Walking in the direction of rhythmic rumbling, Kuroi spotted the bowling alley first due to height. "It's been a while since I did any kind of sport," she said, not counting her recent game at the batting cages. Whether her next action was conscious or not, she was beginning to not care. Her hand swung back, clapping into Konata's. "Let's hurry up and play!" Kuroi childishly cheered. Taken back, Konata's body was pulled away, resistance was futile. Kuroi headed for the bowling balls as Konata took the seat and logged in.

"I've signed up as Kona, what name do you want Kuroi-sensei?"

"Just write Serpent."

"Serpent? What's that, your old biker gang name?"

"Yes it is."

"What?!"

"I'm just messing with ya," Kuroi winked. Her arm wrapped around the first ball of the game, standing before the white line and separated her from a waxed lane. Bending over, she forgot the good backside view she was giving Konata and rolled the ball with all her strength. "It went into the gutters…" Konata said unimpressed.

"It's been a while. Give me some time to grease the ol' bowling joints. In the mean time you can have a shot. We use this as a practice round."

"Sure. Here's my invincible Jecht Shot!" Konata exclaimed, rolling the ball with all her miniature might. It fell into the gutter and somehow bounced into the lane next to it. Kuroi burst into laughter. Suddenly the uproars of unpleased players rose and grew louder as the ball rampaged through the room. She spun Konata around and pointed their backs at the pins. She could hear people asking for the owner of the ball. "Just pretend we don't know anything," she said. Konata grinned, finding the whole ordeal amusing.

Waiting for the other players to calm down, the two returned to their game, both slowly getting used to it. Konata took an early lead, one that was snatched away by Kuroi's sudden streaks of perfect strikes. The prize was slipping away. With determination, Konata tried harder and harder with each blow. Every pin that failed to fall was another nail in the coffin. "Take this!"

Failure. The ball only reached three pins. Konata's final chance at victory drowned in a crowded sea of Kuroi's points. "I've lost," Konata said. "I guess you want to take pictures of me in your bedroom. Fine."

"Don't assume crazy things kid," Kuroi smiled. "But I want my prize."

"What act of charity do you wish my master?"

"This place has those games that give you tickets right?"

"Yep. Some of the games are like that."

"Good, give me all your tickets so I can get a good prize!"

"That's terrible!" Konata cried out. "But a deal's a deal. This must be how a contract with the devil feels like."

"Enough mourning, we got games to play and tickets to win!" Konata took charge, leading the way to every game in the center, explaining the rules and easiest ways to win. Kuroi paid close attention, wanting to win her own large share of tickets. Konata's tickets rolled out of the machines like tears. She may not have succeeded in bowling but every other videogame in the place was her slave. "This must be what you do instead of studying," Kuroi grinned, watching Konata struggle with all of the prize tickets wrapping and hanging around her body. "Well, gather them up! It's time for my prize!"

Walking ahead, Kuroi suddenly stopped. "I don't know where the prize place is. Show me Konata."

"Ohoho! If I don't reveal it to you you'll never be able to take my precious tickets away and use them for cheap prizes that break in a day," Konata chuckled evilly. "I win sensei."

"Found it. Let's go."

"Crap."

Kuroi grabbed hold of all the tickets, placing them onto the counter. "I'd like to exchange all of these for a prize." The teenage boy inserted each row of tickets into a machine, relying on it to automatically count them for him. Every once in a while there would be a single ticket all by its lonesome. These were obvious Kuroi's tickets from poor playing. "Your ticket amount is…10,236."

"Good. Let's see what I can get."

Behind the counter stood a wall of variety, showcasing giant stuffed dolls, board games, playing cards, dice, candy, backpacks, radios and anything you'd think a child may appreciate. Nothing seemed right, who would want these sort of things? They had an aura of cheapness about them. Her green eyes then caught glimpse of a different wall around the corner. "What's this?"

"This is the adult prizes," the employee explained. Konata's first thoughts were rated 18 and older but were rejected at first glance. The ticket prices were high but clearly these were valuable items. Kuroi looked up and down, finding inexpensive jewelry, coats, scarves, wristbands, perfume, and other basic wants of an adult. "Give me that!"

"This silver necklace?"

"Yep! It's the best choice."

"That'll bring your ticket amount down to…236."Carefully placing the necklace into a small box, he handed it to her in a bag. "Would you like to exchange your remaining tickets for something else?"

"Keep them for yourselves," Kuroi said. "Apparently you can buy bubblegum and a slinky with those numbers. Let's go Konata."

Exiting the store, Kuroi pulled the box out of her bag, analyzing the necklace for any signs of filth or flaw. "That's a beautiful necklace," Konata said. "See, glad I brought you here right?"

"It is beautiful. And here's your prize for doing so," Kuroi smiled, stretching her arms behind Konata's neck. A tingling sensation danced in the otaku's lips, bracing for a kiss. A string then hung from her neck. Looking down, Kuroi's arms were gone and around her neck was the necklace. "I know it's cliché but it does look good on you Konata," Kuroi warmly said. "My way of thanking you for tonight."

"Kuroi-sensei…"

"We should probably head home now. It's getting late."

"Sensei."

"I know. You're welcome."

Konata nearly hesitated but she had to press forward. "Sensei…I meant the date. Did…did you have fun?"

"Yes, I did. I had a lot of fun." She then walked outside, waiting for Konata to catch up. The night time air became crisper, almost with the intention to pick at the skin. Kuroi removed her scarf and wrapped it around Konata's neck, patting the girl's blue bush of hair. "Tonight was really special Konata. You did good."

"Really? No problems at all?"

"There was nothing wrong at all. I can see what you were trying to accomplish and I think it's very mature of you to do so."

"You figured that out?" Konata asked in surprise. Kuroi relaxed her eyes, walking closer to Konata. Her hands hid away in her pockets, not knowing if it was the cold that made them want to do so. "You chose to just show me who you are tonight. The things you like, the places you go and what you prefer," Kuroi stated. "I've been on a lot of dates so I know a bit about how people think on them. What they want to accomplish and get in return…"

"Sensei?"

"As far as tonight went, I guess you thought this through and I got the message. Your feelings are genuine huh? You really like me like that?"

"Yep. I've always thought of you as just a teacher but about two weeks ago, I realized you were your own person. It sounds stupid but it took me a while to get it."

"I understand," Kuroi said with a smile. "People with authority have that effect. Took me a while to connect with my parents like that. Tell me more."

"Well…when I saw the person instead of the teacher, I…thought, maybe this person was right for me. It's really early for me to be feeling like this right? High school romances and stuff like that usually don't last long anyway but…I've had crushes before and they never, ever seemed to last more than a week. And they weren't as strong as…"

"That's enough." A tomato red hue lit across Kuroi's face, a color that would have been hidden behind the scarf now wrapped around Konata's neck. She was silent, gazing at the parks and high class restaurants around her. The stars above were nothing compared to that one night on the beach. "To be honest, I had a lot of fun today with you. More fun than I've ever had on a date. I guess it's right to say that we…sort of connected."

"Connected?"

"I understood what you were doing and what you wanted. I learned a lot about you and the things you enjoy doing, it was unexpected Konata…but nice. I also learned something about myself tonight. I was expecting you to bring me to a nice restaurant, a club or take a stroll in the park. You didn't. We went to a weird diner, a candy store where we ate all the samples, you made me look stupid for photos and an arcade center that seemed to have everything in the world. Guess…I forgot what dates are all about."

"Having fun," Konata said, smiling innocently at her teacher. The streetlights and passing car lights flashed back in her dark green eyes, straight into Kuroi's. Konata's fingers couldn't keep off the necklace, dangling and twisting it about. "Somehow," Kuroi sweetly said, staring deeply at Konata. "All this goofy fun and stupidity turned into romance."

"So…is this our last date?" Konata quietly asked, feeling the phenomenal shyness that only Kuroi managed to place in her. Kuroi tilted her head, smiling with lost, jade eyes that always found their way back to Konata. Slowly, she reached out a hand for her student's, melting into the warm, little hand around hers, finding it impossible to keep her eyes off of her. Konata swallowed hard, trying to keep herself quiet. Kuroi gave Konata's hand a gentle caress, and then a soft squeeze. "Call me Nanako-chan."


	4. Chapter 4:How Many Will Know!

Hidden Candy

Chapter 4: How Many Will Know?!

Walking up to her driveway with Konata by her side, Kuroi pulled her key out and pointed towards the dirtied, white city car. _Beep. Beep_. The night was catching a chill with the sudden breeze blowing into the city. Even the suburbs were beginning to feel like an early winter set in. "I'll drop you off home," Kuroi smiled, opening the front door with the same tingling sweetness still dancing in her cheeks. Tonight was the first date she ever remained confident about, the only night she didn't drink with a friend or was already turning on the television and abandoning life outside her house. More than that, Konata somehow pierced every expectation and along with Kuroi's disbeliefs. She could see that charming, fun-loving and sometimes innocent side of Konata with just the small time they spent as actual people. Then again, Konata's behavior seemed to always hint this.

"Thanks sensei," Konata cheered, hopping into the passenger's seat. "What manners you have."

"Don't sound so surprised Konata. I should say that to you," Kuroi grinned, looking behind her before reversing out of the driveway. "You really surprised me tonight though you didn't take me anywhere normal. It was really fun and you seem to be pretty smart about things that don't relate to schoolwork."

"I only like school because my friends are there. If I was by myself I'd probably fail."

"Actually Konata…I used to be the same way. I usually cheated and stole homework. I would switch quizzes and erase names." Those words came through a proud smile. Konata was impressed. "Were you a yakuza member or something?" she asked. "Or part of some Student Disciplinary Committee?"

"I'll tell you on our next date," Kuroi grinned again, turning at the next curve. The Izumi household stood well lit above the surrounding neighborhood. Kuroi's pleased smile and flushed cheeks would vanish with realization of the situation. Parking in front of the house, she gave Konata an especially tender expression. "No kiss for my hard work?" Konata smugly asked.

"I don't kiss on the first date," Kuroi chuckled. Suddenly she let go of the steering wheel and started leaning over Konata. The petite girl leaned back quickly, retreating from the Kuroi's relaxed but directed lips. Her teacher held the roof with one hand and moved her other arm over Konata's shoulder. "S-sensei, d-didn't you say no kisses on the first date?!"

Kuroi's lips softly pushed onto Konata's forehead and bounced off. Her jade green eyes gleamed from the house's lights behind Konata who nearly touched the side of the door in her attempts to dodge Kuroi's affection. "I meant kisses on the lip," Kuroi affectionately replied. "But you deserve at least this. Though you seem a little nervous. Didn't expect that."

"I thought that was going to be my first kiss," Konata smiled. "At least now I can plan it for a truly wondrous evening! I'll write our names on the moon first just like Eureka and Renton."

"Heh. Let me tell you something Konata. As much as you want to, your first kiss will never be planned the way you think it will be. And besides, kissing on the first date might send the wrong message. Save your lips for good moments."

"Teaching me even after school," commented Konata, glowing red behind her loose blue bangs. "I guess your dad's waiting in….crap!" Kuroi snapped, snatching onto the steering wheel. "Crap! Crap! I completely forgot about that! Does you dad even know why you're out this late?!"

"Yeah, I told him I was with you."

"Don't say that casually. You mean your dad knows I just went on a date with you?!"

"Don't panic," Konata calmly said, contrasting the panic in Kuroi's voice. "I haven't told him that we were going out. Just that we were hanging out. He trusts you, especially after all those trips we go on."

"Oh thank God," Kuroi sighed, dropping her head on the steering wheel. Relief was the only emotion at the time for her. How could one girl have made her feel so great that she forgot the entire world around her? "Well, I'll see you at school tomorrow," Konata said, unbuckling herself. She walked over to the driver's window, knocking on the glass. Kuroi turned to her with recovering eyes.

"I had a lot of fun, Nanako-san…I mean Nanako-chan."

"Feels a little strange huh?"

"It's a little hard at first. Besides, -sensei gives you a sort of dominance kind of feeling. Really takes a load of responsibility off of me," Konata happily explained. Giving off a final wave, she unlocked the front door to her house and walked in. "That's that," Kuroi peacefully said, watching Konata until she completely vanished into the house. She turned on the ignition, going home unusually excited. "Time to go home, under a moon this time. Though I feel kind of bad her dad doesn't know what I just did…in front of his house…with him inside."

Letting her hair fall before she reached the front door, Kuroi locked it tight and headed past the kitchen and into her room. Routinely undressing herself, she found thigh high white shorts and an undershirt in a drawer, shutting off the lights earlier than usual after slipping into the loose clothing. The night never left her feeling upbeat before. The sweetness continued to pick at her face and chest like stingless bees dancing on her. She kicked the blanket off, it soon became unnecessary. Tonight, it felt like Konata's victory. "I just came home at night from dating one of my students," Kuroi told herself, nuzzling into her pillow. She gave it a tight squeeze and breathed out calmly. "And it was worth going to bed early."

A small fang poked out as she yawned. The computer at her desk popped into her eyesight, still humming from her negligence and forgetting to turn it off. The very sight of it brought images of another world. "Naw, I won't play. Too tired tonight. My young days may not be entirely over though but I got a job tomorrow."

Her heart still jumped strongly. Rolling and tossing, flipping and even spinning she couldn't find comfort. There was too much energy in her body. The heart was like a freshly fueled motor bent on wasting everything it had. "I guess I'll play games until I drop dead or something."

With only a movement of the mouse the monitor flashed on. "I'll just log in and…Konata's on?" Typing a message quickly, she watched attentively at the screen, awaiting Konata's response.

_Konakona-Still not asleep?_

_Nanakon-Yeah, I can't go to sleep. Surprised you can keep your eyes open. Wasn't tonight your first ever?_

_Konakona-Thanks for being so gentle. I was a little nervous._

_Nanakon-What?_

_Konakona-You were gentle to me even though you have more experience. I was worried about getting hurt but you made it feel so good._

_Nanakon-Stop talking like that! I meant the date. I know we're online but geez (-_-)_

_Konakona-Sorry, sorry. Even if you know somebody on the internet you feel like you can say bolder things to them anyway. ;)_

_Nanakon-You do that with text messaging too right?_

_Konakona-Yep. Wait, who are you texting behind my back? I'm already envious._

_Nanakon-I can tell you're not like that. Let's hurry up and find a place to go. _

_Konakona-Sure, the Hellflame Pit is pretty quick and easy. Might even fetch a rare drop or two from the Wyvern._

_Nanakon-Let's do it!_

"Stupid Konata," Kuroi groaned, sliding her cellphone off the small desk beside her bed to shut off the alarm clock. Morning had arrived in a blink, it was as if sleeping never occurred at all. Thin bags hugged her heavy eyes. She would call in sick but she knew when something really did happen luck would kick her down and tell her she used them all up. "She kept me up till…what was it? Two thirty in the morning?"

Crawling out of bed, she fell off. "Crap…need to wake up."

Her morning stamina wasted away simply trying to get dressed. Cereal was consumed quickly. She knew if she went too slowly she would collapse and fall asleep in the milk. Tumbling out her house, she locked the door, trying to open it afterwards to check. Today she had no choice but to take the bus, driving would be dangerous until her eyes manage to open completely. The only hope keeping her awake was seeing Konata completely worn out too. Walking towards the school, the rising sun vanished behind the buildings and bushes as Kuroi entered school grounds. A few teachers waved at her from the parking lot, not mentioning her dreary appearance.

"I heard she just liked to drink. Did something happen? Like a drunken rampage?" one teacher whispered to another. "I don't know. You know how single women are. She probably drinks herself to sleep. Poor dear. She needs a man."

Kuroi marched on to her class, arriving at the usual seven thirty required for teachers. She expected Miyuki to be sitting peacefully in class, that girl seemed to love homeroom. Sliding the door, Kuroi stopped in her tracks. A blue hobbit arrived quite earlier than usual. "Good morning Nanako-chan!" Konata happily greeted. "Just got in a few seconds ago too."

"_Impossible…"_ Kuroi thought to herself, setting her bag atop the front desk. "Good morning Konata. You're pretty awake. _Brat. How is she so wide awake? Maybe I am getting old_."

"I stayed up all night, even after you got up. If anything, I'm more hyper than ever!"

"How disappointing but I suppose that's how you should be at your age. The only reason I was still up last night was because of our date." She grabbed a piece of chalk and began writing the day's objectives on the board. Konata held her chin in both hands, watching her teacher work as she readily thought of how to ask her teacher the next question. "So, was it our date that got you so excited?"

Keeping her reddening face to the board, Kuroi found her writing impossible to finish. To confess so early wasn't her style but the otaku hit the right marks. Perhaps Konata was more perceptive than she originally thought. Continuing her writing, she breathed in and out calmly. Fatigue was weakening all her defenses. "I'll be honest…" she said. "It was. But don't get cocky, there's still a chance we won't work out. There's bound to be conflicts ya know."

"I know. But we can work through them if we try. If you and me are worth it, I mean."

"Don't speak so seriously, Konata," Kuroi replied, hiding her growing smile. " By what I've seen so far, you can be really mature. But I have a question. Why are you here this early anyway? Don't you come here with Kagami and Tsukasa?"

"Yeah but I wanted to talk to you," Konata said. Walking up to the front of the class, she stood across from Kuroi, looking straight into her with a casual yet prepared feeling to her endless eyes. "I know you want to keep this all a secret about you and me being together so I wanted to talk to you about what you want me to do before the other kids started coming in."

"That's…very mature of you. I see I wasn't wrong in believing in you Konata. Okay," Kuroi started with unexpected thrill. Konata continued to surprise her and even pulled her teacher from the brink of drowsiness with those preemptive strikes and expanding traits. "I'll start first with clearing all those ideas you probably got in your head. I'm still your teacher, no unfair advantages or boosts in class. I'll still hit you and everything."

"Siiigh. I understand," Konata playfully answered. "Though I really was expecting some sort of love bonus. I guess my charisma isn't high enough for that."

"You bet it isn't. Also, I-"

Achoo!

"What…was that?" Kuroi asked, staring down at Konata. "It wasn't me sensei."

"Yeah…but no one else is in here right?"

A flash of pink burst from behind a desk, yelling out apologies and bowing completely before the two. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Miyuki?!" Kuroi exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry! I always come early and I dropped my glasses so I went on the floor looking and, and, and I…"

"Calm down Miyuki," Konata softly advised, coming up to her shadowing friend nearly ventilating from the sudden intensity in the atmosphere. "You're not in trouble or anything. I bet you heard everything right?"

"I'm sorry…"

"It's…not your fault Miyuki," Kuroi resigned. "You probably didn't want to interrupt us or make it seem like you were eavesdropping. You're a good girl."

"I…I won't tell anyone. About the two of you."

"Hmm? Miyuki?"

"I knew I could trust you!" Konata cheered, snuggling against Miyuki's tightened stomach. "You've always been such a good friend. I promise it was completely mutual with me and Nanako-chan! I mean sensei."

"I-I could tell. Just from the way you two talked to each other," Miyuki explained, adjusting her sliding glasses. She patted Konata on the head and glanced at her teacher's gentle countenance and glimmer in her morning eyes. "Besides, I know Konata would make good choices in the people she knows."

Letting out a moan, Kuroi stretched her arms out and returned to the board. "Thank you Miyuki. It's pretty evident Konata's good at picking people with someone like to grab onto."

"Don't worry, we're not doing anything erotic even if I am eighteen," Konata cleared up, unwrapping Miyuki from her arms. "In fact, I was the one to ask Nanako-chan out in the first place. She rejected me a bunch of times until she got drunk."

"Okay, okay. Too much information Konata. We'll talk after class and don't call me Nanako-chan at school please."

"Understood." Konata said, hopping to her seat.

"I probably sounded a little too demanding there…" Kuroi muttered to herself. "Oh, sensei, let me fix that for you," Konata said, appearing immediately next to the blonde woman. She pinched at Kuroi's collar, moving the tie around and pulling it up until she was sure it could stand on its own. "You still should get proper beauty sleep even if you don't need it."

Chuckling, Kuroi rubbed her hand along the top of Konata's soft blue bundle of hair, feeling more of that tingling feeling in her cheeks. "Thanks but the tie is still a little messed up. You call yourself an adult but that's only in legal terms. Come back when you like coffee and fix ties right. Fix your socks before you look at my clothes too."

"Sharp eyes sensei!"

"Alright, alright. Go back to your seat. I hear more students coming."

Students began entering the school grounds more and more every minute, filling the classroom and distancing the two despite their proximity. Miyuki and Konata talked the entire morning, avoiding her friend's new relationship but returning to the everyday discussions they held. Kuroi stood calmly with confidence in Miyuki. Now her only hindrance was the rest of the day. After attendance, she began the lesson normally, hoping the more she taught the faster the day would go by and she could nap at home.

The coffee she prepared earlier already lost its effects an hour into her performance. She could almost feel the bags return to her face while a feeling of grogginess swept over her body. Taking only a quick glance at the class behind her, she could see Konata fast asleep; walking closer to the girl she even discovered traces of drool. Time to strike! Raising her fist, she dove in for the kill only to yawn and fall to the ground. "Crap! That woke me up!"

The students leaned over to see their teacher push herself up from the ground, dusting away the prints of dirt off her pants. Easy was it to strike her prey now. "Wake up!"

"Ow!" Konata cried out, holding her head. "I was hoping you wouldn't catch me today."

"It may be Monday but a fish on a hook is still a prize!" Kuroi tiredly laughed, returning to the front of the class.

With the lunch bell ringing, Konata watched Kuroi pack her bag and glance at her. The pleading look in Konata's eyes almost convinced Kuroi to bring her to the teacher's office for lunch but she knew better and shook her head regrettably. Konata understood and opened her bento, greeting her friends as they entered one by one into the class. "You wanted to eat with her didn't you?" Miyuki asked before Kagami and Tsukasa came to the desk. "Yeah but I have to remember she has more at stake than I do," Konata said, holding no ill feelings about the event.

Konata and Kuroi kept their routines, eating with friends and not even hinting at all about their date. When asked about their weekends, the two would reply with videogames, work, and socializing. Entering the classroom after lunch, Konata waved at her, almost as if to tell her everything went smoothly. Kuroi waved back, unpacking as the lunch bell roped the students back into their seats. Their second wind blew in and the two finally awoke for the day ahead. "Okay, now can anyone tell me what was the basis for the Shogunate's claim to power?" Kuroi asked, skimming the class for someone who clearly wasn't paying attention. "Konata…"

The otaku silently blew kisses at her and smiled more than usual for any student in a history class. "Who exactly are you blowing kisses to?"

"A pretty boy, sensei!"

"Well, I'm sure the pretty boy would appreciate it if you stopped."

"Okay. I was just messing around."

"Now, about that Shogunate," Kuroi maliciously grinned. The blank stare on Konata's face symbolized another victory over the student body. "I don't know," Konata blatantly answered. To the remaining class, this act of open ignorance wasn't the main concern. Konata was blowing kisses to a boy! Whispers and note passing began instantly. Despite her little involvement with the class around her, she was enjoyed by all and attracted attention of those who had yet to catch her name.

After class, the students quickly left, moving to the next. Konata would wave Kuroi farewell, awaiting their meeting after her final classes. Kuroi taught the next set of kids, watching the time tick by along with Konata who did the same in her class. With the last bell screeching for the day, Konata waited for the line of kids to clear the room before entering to see Kuroi cleaning the board. "You didn't forget. Good," Kuroi smiled. "So, let's finish what we discuss earlier."

"Is anyone under the desks?" Konata grinned. "Oh, and sorry about the kisses during class. I was just messing around."

"It's okay, as long as nobody figures out about us. Just don't push your luck next time," Kuroi happily warned, nervously smiling. "Anyway, if this lasts between you and me, we'll have to keep public affections to a minimum. In these kinds of situations that's when a teacher from the school or student will notice us and start gossiping."

"Understood. But Nanako-chan, you make it sound like we won't work out."

"Konata, don't misunderstand. You're a great person and just from Sunday I feel excited and glad to be with you. It's just that I'm trying to lessen the pain if I don't exactly meet your expectations," Kuroi said, leaning against the front desk. "I would like to go on another date with you and find out though."

"Sounds great. Why don't we get something to eat later and talk more?"

"Sure. I might as well pick you up myself at about four."

"I'll be ready by then. See ya!" Konata said, walking ahead. As she slid the door she sensed another presence. Looking down on the ground, she spotted Hiyori on her feet, ducking under the door's window. "Hiyori?!"

"S-sorry. I heard everything."

"Get inside," Konata ordered, grabbing her friend and closing the door behind them. Kuroi face palmed her head, sensing impending doom. Another of Konata's friends over heard them. Two people already discovered their secret relationship before it truly bloomed. "Hear me out first!" Hiyori pleaded. "I heard about Konata blowing kisses in class to a mysterious boy. I had to figure out who! I figured I'd asked her until I saw her in here talking to you."

"I believe you Hiyori," Kuroi said. "I just can't believe this."

"Yeah, we kind of what to keep this a secret," Konata said, worried that fate might have plotted against them. Hiyori turned to them both, seeing the troubled expressions on their faces. To her, it would be a shame to see such a unique romance crumble away because of her. "Guys, guys! I won't tell anybody. This is really an ideal relationship. I would love to be in your shoes."

"What kind of freak friends you got?" Kuroi asked, looking at Konata.

"This is just like a taboo anime," Hiyori said, nearly drooling from her own words. "I would love to draw you two doing romantic things! That is my wish!"

"No," Kuroi said, already lifting her bag. "But I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anybody about us."

"No worries. Your secret is safe with me. Though I would love to draw you two really, really badly," Hiyori hummed. "A real teacher and student relationship right in front of my eyes!"

"Well, she is eager Nanako-chan," Konata said. Kuroi shook her head and began walking towards the door. "We should get going now. Hiyori, thank you for helping us out. Our feelings are genuine for each other so it's not as if this is anything bad really."

"Yeah Hiyori. I was the one who initiated it anyway," Konata explained.

"How wonderful! Please let me draw you!"

"No!" Kuroi fussed, reaching for the door. Oddly, she didn't reach the doorknob. Instead, it felt more like someone's hand. Turning to look at the now open door, Kuroi felt like fainting. Tsukasa blankly stared at the three girls inside. "I didn't hear anything," She peeped, closing the door. Konata quickly opened it and pulled her in. "Wait, Tsukasa. What did you hear?"

"Nothing," she said, almost in amusement.

"Tsukasa, I'm serious."

"I…I heard you and Kuroi-sensei talk about feeling genuine for each other and how Konata initiated it and how Hiyori wants to draw you two," Tsukasa confessed. With everything out, she felt like somehow she was trouble. Konata let go of her friend's shoulders while Kuroi bumped her head against the wall in aggravation. "Well…" Konata chuckled. "That's three people who know our secret."

"I won't tell though!" Tsukasa stated. "I may not completely understand anything but I won't tell anybody."

"Can we give her hammer so she can hit herself and forget?" Kuroi asked out of desperation. Hammers were becoming appealing now along with never speaking again. Konata patted her on the back, reassuring her the two wouldn't reveal their relationship to anybody. "We promise!" Hiyori and Tsukasa cheered. "I will secretly cheer you two on from the shadows. Now if only Minami and Yutaka kissed and Kagami kissed Tsukasa…"

"What? Me and nee-chan?" Tsukasa fearfully muttered.

"Come Konata, I need sake," Kuroi said.

Extra Lessons

Konata: Woohoo! Extra, private lessons between me and Nanako-chan!

Kuroi: Um…what do I teach?

Konata: Something just for me.

Kuroi: Okay…well, I like Konata for starters. And apparently we're in big trouble with three of her friends already knowing our secret.

Konata: Please put the bottle down sensei.

Kuroi: No, sake will never tell my secrets!

Konata: But a drunk Nanako-chan might!


	5. Chapter 5:Realization

Hidden Candy

Chapter 5: Realizations

"I'm home," Miyuki called out, bumping her shoes into the step and slowly stepping out of them before she headed into the kitchen. She poked her head into the carpeted room, seeing her mother peacefully giggling at a comedy show on the television. Miyuki carefully let down her school bag on the counter and slid a chair towards the table. Her fingers couldn't resist tapping, at first it was chaotic but the rhythm began to settle within seconds and a pattern was formed. "Um…mother…"

"Oh! How was your day at school?" Mrs. Takara asked, remembering her motherly duties. She lowered the volume via remote and turned towards her daughter. "Oh my…you're really bad at hiding what you feel, you're such a mess. What's going on?"

"Well…today at school I learned something quite unusual about one of my friends," Miyuki started, still unable to look her mother in the eye. She carefully analyzed everything that happened that morning, the words Konata and Kuroi said to each other while she hid under the desk and what she agreed to in response. Alongside her uneasiness of the entire situation was the regret of hastily saying such promises to the two. She didn't want to tell anybody about them but she couldn't completely accept the relationship either. The sweeping moment at the time caught her in a corner and she could only do what she felt was calming and right. "One of my friends is dating an adult and…although I told her they seemed happy together and I wouldn't tell anybody…I just don't feel right about the situation."

"Really? Who is it?" Mrs. Takara asked, not as excited as she would usually be. In the back of her mind she suspected Miyuki might have been secretly referring to herself but she had to place faith in her daughter. Miyuki could see the investigative look in her mother's usually gentle eyes that now sharpened on her. "It's not me…but promise you won't do anything."

"I promise. My main concern is you, my daughter. As long as it isn't you, I am fine," replied the older woman.

"It's Konata. Besides that, the adult she is dating is also a woman. To be honest, I suspected Konata's tastes might have been like that and it doesn't bother me much but…I feel so uneasy," explained Miyuki. When her words stopped, she looked towards Mrs. Takara, hoping for an immediate and confident answer. Her mother held her chin and sat back, eventually muting the television in order to review the problem at hand. Her daughter was a gentle and calm girl who sincerely wished for others' best health and well being. She doesn't mind Konata's orientation so what was the problem? "Perhaps…you're worried that this relationship might hurt Konata," she tried out.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, this is a very weird time for a girl. She's and young and this is her first relationship right? If it's with someone a bit older than her-"

"The other woman is nine years older than her," Miyuki quickly added. Her mother paused. Suddenly she began to cough wildly. "W-what?! That's a huge difference for a first relationship!" Mrs. Takara exclaimed. "Does she even know this woman?"

"Yes, and I've known them both for quite a few years. She seems nice and has always treated us with friendliness and consideration," Miyuki answered.

"Well geez…that really does add a bit of a twist to it," Mrs. Takara nervously said with a pout. "But some people consider age as just a number now and these days. I think you might be trying to figure out the situation by putting yourself in Konata's shoes and you can't seem to make sense of what's happening."

"That…that's right," Miyuki said, losing the ability to speak only for a moment. That was exactly the problem, somehow her mother managed to figure it out when she was clueless. "But what do I do now? I can't tell anybody else about this and I can't imagine myself doing something like being with an older person."

"Just stay by Konata's side," Mrs. Takara said, placing a hand over Miyuki's. "I'm sure Konata can handle herself but there might be times when she might feel bad or confused so you need to stick by her and help her along. And if you feel like you can't handle it, I'm here for you both."

"Thank you, I'm really glad I talked to you about this. I feel much better," Miyuki sweetly said. She pushed herself off the chair and walked towards the refrigerator. "I'm about to make some sandwiches, do you want any?"

"Yep, a fruit sandwich please." Her mother was already back to chuckling at the television with her natural poofy expression of laziness and serenity, a serenity she loved to share with others.

Konata and Kuroi walked side by side down the street until they reached the subway. Not a word had been spoken between the two since school ended and Konata was beginning to worry that everything might collapse. The two found the staircase and marched downwards. "Um…Nanako-chan?" she quietly asked. The blonde woman continued walking, keeping a tight grip on her suitcase. There was a new intensity in her tired eyes. "Nanako-chan?"

"Could you just be quiet for a minute?" Kuroi harshly answered.

"I'm sorry…" said Konata, regretfully hurt by the sudden exclamation. Kuroi turned away, denying herself to even glance at the smaller girl next to her. She knew what she did and she didn't have to see Konata's face for evidence. An apology was pointless right now considering the chaos in her head. Making it in front of the subway, the two prepared to find their seats as the doors opened for them. Konata was planning to sit next to Nanako but it no longer felt like a good idea. She reached for the pole near the door and stood quietly as Nanako stared through the window on the other side of the train. "I'm sorry Konata," she said. "I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just a bit lost in thought, some rather frustrated thoughts."

"I understand," Konata said, pulling off an unstable smile. "Are we still going out for sake?"

"You make it sound like you're getting some," Kuroi said with a slight chuckle. "How about we meet up later at a diner? I'll call you after I get into some casual clothes and finish some errands."

"Sure," Konata said. She looked over at the train map pasted above her. The otaku's stop was first.

The Hiiragis walked home together, ignoring the fact that Konata decided to diverge from their usual route and take a different train. Kagami couldn't help but grow more worried that Tsukasa might know something, she would usually text or chat about school on the way home but today she remained calm and unusually focused on just getting back home, facing one direction only. She didn't even turn when the neighbor's dog loudly barked at her-which was guaranteed to send a fright through her legs.

"You sure have been quiet since school ended," Kagami noted, watching her sister's silent expression change into a nervous outbursts of defense. "I'm not hiding anything!"

"I never said you were," Kagami replied, mixed with happiness that she figured out what the problem was but aggravated that Tsukasa was acting secretive about it in the first place. There was a hint of disappointment; Tsukasa could have at least made it a challenge to protect the information she was keeping to herself. She noticed they were only a few blocks away from home. She had to act fast. "You know, if there's a problem you want to keep from mom and dad you better tell me before we reach home."

"There's no issues." Tsukasa instantly answered.

"That just makes it more suspicious, just tell me before you let it slip out in the wrong place. No matter what it is I know you want to tell somebody," Kagami explained. She knew her sister too well. Tsukasa swallowed loudly and felt a shakiness dance in her legs. No matter what, she planned to keep Konata's relationship a secret. Kagami decided to leave it at that and allow time to take its course.

After changing out of their uniforms, the two grabbed some snacks from the kitchen and parked themselves in front of the television. One of their favorite comedies aired at this time but Kagami managed to observe Tsukasa's behavior every minute. She couldn't find anything unusual about her sister's behavior. None of the jokes made her twitch or stop laughing either. "What is going on here?" Kagami muttered to herself.

Finally, the commercials began to run. This was a good opportunity, especially with the rest of their family in the other rooms. None of their sisters liked the show the twins watched after school. "So Tsukasa, what's going on?" Kagami slyly asked.

"Hmm? Nothing at all."

"Come on, you can tell me. I'm your sister after all."

"It's nothing," Tsukasa said, returning her attention to the television. She knew Kagami was just worried about her but if there was nothing bothering her than Tsukasa felt like she didn't have to tell the secret. Besides, she was unsure of what Kagami's reaction would be concerning Konata's new relationship. Kagami ended the interrogation for now; she had a method of figuring things out anyway.

She waited an hour until Tsukasa went into bed for a nap. Mondays always managed to bring the weary girl down into slumber. Kagami kept her ear close to Tsukasa's door, waiting until she heard her sister's peaceful breathes peep out. "She's asleep…"

Sliding the door at a gentle pace, Kagami slipped in and carefully navigated through the dim room. She knew her sister kept scattered clothes across the floor along with occasional utensil ready to stab one's foot, Kagami had to be careful. One false step and a loose shirt was bound to wrap around her foot and bring her to the floor. Only the daylight brimming past the curtained window could aid her vision but once she was at the side of the bed there was nothing to worry about. She tugged at Tsukasa's shoulders, waiting until the girl turned over and stared back at her with eyes begging for sleep. "Tsukasa, what's the secret you're trying to hide?"

As obvious as this was, Tsukasa was an open book in her dreary mode. Barely able to keep her finger's grip on the edge of the blanket, Tsukasa yawned and said, "Konata's dating Kuroi-sensei."

"W-what? Are you serious?" Kagami said, losing the wonderful sensation she had of tricking her sister. The feeling faded and was replaced with angered uncertainty. "Are you serious?!"

Tsukasa hummed, sleeping soundly under her thick covers. Kagami stared off with disgust, there was no way she misheard it. She couldn't doubt the information either, this trick always worked and provided clear answers a hundred percent of the time. "Konata's dating the teacher? What the hell is she thinking?! I…"

Two hours had passed and Konata began to worry that Nanako might have decided to forget her. She sat in her room, unable to do anything else until she got a call from her teacher. Staring at the cell phone's screen, she could see it light up and felt it nearly fall out of her hand from the vibrations. "Hello?" she excitedly greeted, keeping it close to her ear with both hands.

"Yeah, it's me kid," Nanako said. "Let's meet at Moto's, okay? I'll already have a table for us so just look for me inside."

"Okay…but…you're still not confused are you?" Konata asked.

"We can discuss everything at the diner."

"Okay." Konata snapped her phone shut and slipped it into her pocket. The ominous tone in her teacher's voice didn't help the uncertainty in her heart. Regardless, she had to approach the issue with maturity and collectedness. Grabbing her coat, she informed her dad that she was meeting with her friends at a diner and would back soon. He waved her off and watched as she closed the front door. The chilly air outside nipped at her nose, forcing her to sniffle.

She wanted to go back for a cap but didn't wish to delay meeting Nanako any further. Heading towards the subway which was about a mile away from her house, she reviewed the map at the station to make sure she wouldn't get off at the wrong stop. "Konata!" Kagami shouted, popping out from the staircase. "Oh, hello Kagami!" Konata happily said. "What's wrong?"

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"What? I'm just reading the map," Konata said. She didn't even want to imagine what Kagami was angry about. She was used to be fussed at by her best friend but there was a hint of rage behind these words that began to upset her. It felt like today was nothing but reasons to be sad. "I know what you're doing with Kuroi-sensei!"

"Wah! Tsukasa told you?"

"Yeah, I tricked her into telling me so don't blame her," Kagami explained. "She doesn't even know that I know. But that changes nothing. You're dating a teacher!"

"Kagami, wait, it's not a big deal. Besides, I was the one to initiate things. Nana…Kuroi-sensei was very hesitant and the circumstances were weird," Konata quickly explained. Of all people, she wanted to Kagami to understand the most and accept it but the more she tried to explain the angrier Kagami seemed to get. "Don't you even watch the news?" Kagami started. "Teachers are always tricking students into stuff like this. What do you think a lonely, older woman might want from you?"

"Nanako-chan isn't like that Kagami; you've known her for years. She takes us out on fun trips and treats us nicely. There's no reason to get worried."

"No reason to get worried? Konata! You should know that even criminals seem like nice people!" Kagami fussed, getting louder and louder with every passing statement. "And don't give me that _I'm legal now _crap. How are you going to handle being with something that much older than you? She's going to want things you aren't ready to give her, things you can't afford and stuff you don't want to do! Why can't you be normal and choose someone your own age?!"

"I know what I'm doing Kagami," Konata softly said, clearly losing this fight.

"How can you?! You don't know how people really are!"

"Yes I do. I know that even if you yell at me you're really trying to be nice and watchful," Konata fussed back. "I know that Miyuki is so forgiving that she doesn't mind what I say about her breasts. I know Tsukasa sometimes gets offended by what I say but still accepts my apologies and hangs out with me. I know Misao sees me as a friend and a rival for your attention. I even know that Hiyori and Patricia really wish to be closer to me but also know I have so many friends I can't divide my time between them all evenly. And I know Nanako-chan is a good person. I know a lot more than you give me credit for!"

The pig tailed girl sighed, staring fiercely back at Konata. This was the first time they ever argued seriously, usually it was her doing the bickering and Konata making excuses or apologizing but now her pint size friend countered back with a look just as determined. Kagami tapped her foot loudly, holding her hips and moving her lips about. There was only one way she knew to prove Konata wrong, and it might just hurt her to do it.

"I'm not going to lie to you, but you don't know me completely…a few weeks ago, when you said you had a crush on all of us at some time…to be honest, I felt very good and very bad." Kagami said. "I know we're close friends and a part of me wasn't sure if I wanted more than that. I was happy at least knowing I might have a chance, to be something more with you. Not quite a girlfriend but not quite a friend either, I've been hiding that part of me for years. That's a dear part of me you don't know and don't lie and say you knew it. But I'm not letting that cloud my vision. Konata…I don't know what you're thinking but…as a friend I'm just trying to do what I think is best for you…even if you hate me for it."

"I know…and that's what I love about you," Konata said, a small smile growing on her face. "But, if you're really my closest friend, please, just have faith in me and trust me about this. Just this one thing."

"I'm sorry," Kagami said, walking away from the scene. "But I know your dad doesn't know about this, so I'm going to tell him. Of all people, he needs to know. He's the final resort for me. I'm sorry."

She walked past her friend, not wanting to look at whatever face her eyes could receive. This was a necessary step, she believed, to correct Konata's stupid mistake.

"No matter what happens then," Konata said. "I won't hate you; you're my closest friend after all. I still want to talk to you at school and bother you and everything. Nothing will change about us."

"Thanks," Kagami said, leaving the area. Konata stepped down the stairs, further apart from Kagami. Sitting down on the train, she placed her faith in her friend that her friend would have faith in her. Walking up to the steps of the Izumi Household, Kagami knocked on the door. Sojiro quickly answered it. "This is a surprise. Konata's already left. She said she was having lunch with her friends. Is something the matter?"

"I have something to tell you about Konata."

Author's Note: I'm uploading more chapters in a just a few minutes. I'm rereading them and editing them so keep an eye out.


	6. Chapter 6:A Lolicon

Hidden Candy

Chapter 6: A Lolicon

Konata caught sight of the diner across the street. The stinging chills from the lingering winter forced her to wrap the green scarf along her chin. Checking for cars, she quickly dashed along the vacant road and walked up the trio of steps into the warm eatery. It reminded her of her first date with Kuroi, she even checked for hideous toys at the counter. She was a bit disappointed there were none, any familiarity would have helped. Then Kuroi's voice called out for her, guiding her to a booth beside the expansive window pointed towards the streets outside. For the diner, this window counted as a wall. She slipped into the booth, feeling her chest wretchedly spring.

"Hiya, Nanako-chan," Konata cheerfully greeted despite the withdrawn brow. Konata knew from Kuroi's peeped "Hey" that it was time for a repeated confrontation. Their exchange of looks set the tone for their next words. She knew the relationship was destined to be questioned again no matter how confident she was sure it could work. The two ordered their drinks, both being sodas, and taking a sip before finally looking each other in the eyes. "Konata…I should really apologize to you," Kuroi started. Her eyes searched for a casual sign of forgiveness and Konata gave it with a quirky flash of a smile. The petite girl didn't know what her teacher meant but couldn't recall anything bad between them. Kuroi continued.

"I…might have gotten a little too excited from our first date together," she said. "I hadn't been out for a while…" Konata raised her eyebrows in curiosity. Kuroi's face slumped into a frustrated deadpan. "A really long time, no need for specifics. Anyway, I let myself lose control and ended up giving you mixed messages which is why you might feel uncomfortable right now with this conversation. I'm sorry."

"You didn't have fun?" Konata asked, already showing concern in her toned down voice.

"I had fun, Konata. The most fun I had in a long time. I just let myself have too much and made you think this thing between us would be easy. There's definite obstacles, it's just a question of if we want to face them."

Konata knew what that meant, it was a matter if _Kuroi _wanted to face them, the student had nothing to lose, at least anything visible. She took a deep, invisible breath before replying to her teacher.

"I understand. I got my hopes too high up," Konata sadly said, but she wasn't giving up yet. "That doesn't change anything though. I want to give it a shot. Kagami is probably telling my dad about us right now though. Tsukasa managed to crack somehow."

"I would actually feel better knowing someone cracked," Kuroi said, preferring confrontation over suspicion. She took another sip from her soda. "But I have a lot more at risk than you if we're caught."

"I know, I know." Konata said. "So…I will do the mature thing, as an adult, and tell you to do what you think is best. You probably don't want to risk your job for me so end it now if you have to. If I can't handle this I don't deserve to date you anyway." With that said she could only reach for her soda again and stare at the table. An occasional car zoomed by, nothing more but a water drop in a silent world only they dwelled in.

Kuroi's thoughts had come to a sudden halt. Konata truly meant what she just said; not only noting the two paths Kuroi could pick but holding the door open for her to easily choose. A steadily growing pounce jumped into her heart. Once her thoughts returned, she could only describe it as finding the right key to your house out of the hundred that hung from your chain. Before she realized it she was laughing. She tried to cover it with her mittens but that only blew her cheeks up.

"Eh?!" Konata gasped in shock. "What's going on here?"

"I don't know why I'm laughing!" Kuroi happily said, trying her best to make the laughs fade away. She wiped her eye when they became mere chuckles, letting out a sigh before. A serene gleam swam in the woman's eyes that remained locked on to her student across from her. Bewilderment was the only emotion Konata could define herself with at the moment. "Konata, I'm really, really happy to hear you say that."

"Really?"

"Konata, let's give this a shot then," Kuroi contently said. "I-"

"You mean that?!" Konata gripped the table tightly, the thrill vibrating in every bone.

"Settle down, settle down. I mean it." She took another taste of her soda, imitated by the otaku shortly after. "I really am starting to see your good points and believe me; it's rare to find so many in one person. I think you're worth some trouble. We both just need to make sure we don't cross any boundaries okay? Because right now, you just said the exact thing I wanted to hear. Your chest may not show it but you are a bit more mature than I originally thought."

"It's a deal! And I vow you'll come to love my chest!" Konata proudly said, tapping her teacher's glass with hers in a toast. "Now, how do we deal with Kagami and my dad?"

"Crap…" Kuroi muttered.

Sojiro picked himself off the floor where he loyally watched the late afternoon news before he had to cook dinner. Worried that it might be Konata, he quickly headed for the door at the sound of the bell. He assumed she might have forgotten something and stopped to search the room. Nothing. Opening the door, he was happily surprised to see Kagami in his daughter's stead. "Oh," he said, looking down at Kagami. "This is a surprise. Konata's already left. She said she was having lunch with her friends."

"I just past her," Kagami calmly said. But with Konata's father finally in her sight, she was able to tell him about his daughter and her friend dating one of their teachers. This would be the only perfect chance she would have to inform him before anything happened. To wait and inform him of this later would partially put her at blame. "Is something the matter?" he asked.

"I have something to tell you about Konata," Kagami said. Sojiro couldn't imagine any problems with Konata; she was almost like him but managed to stay out of trouble. He felt blessed to have such a wonderful daughter and thanked the gods she didn't catch his rebellious streak. Kagami began to open her mouth but immediately closed it back up. Her eyes became attached to the concern in Sojiro's. She could recall the times she visited the Izumi household. He was always so affectionate towards Konata. Even though she confessed often to finding it a bit creepy she accepted it, loving her dad more because it made him more interesting.

Then the word "faith" and "trust" bubbled into her head, words that Konata spoke to her only a few minutes ago. If Konata was her closest friend, did she owe her at least that? Kuroi-sensei did nothing to arouse suspicion, and she had her chances. Kagami still couldn't shake the bad feeling out of her. _"Is what I'm doing really the right thing to do?" _she asked herself. "Kagami?" Sojiro called out.

She bit her lip, clutching her fist. "I really feel like I have to say this."

"Quickly! Believe in yourself and travel with the speed of love!" Konata yelled out. Kuroi watched in awe from her subway seat as Konata kept to the handlebar, screaming encouragement to the vehicle they were riding in. A few passengers glance her way but quickly reverted to ignoring her. Kuroi almost felt like doing the same. "I will give you my New Year's wish and dream for this!"

Tugging at Konata's sleeve, she said "Pipe down Konata." Though she found it amusing all the mystical demanding and panic emitting from the teenager's voice did little to calm Kuroi down. It did however give her a lovely profile of Konata's unusual lips but the sensation was temporary. Her mind continuously imagined the scene that would surely occur at the Izumi household. Sojiro was an adult, just like her. How would he feel hearing that his daughter was dating a teacher, especially a teacher that had taken them on numerous weekend trips? Naturally the three would be sitting around a table or kneeling on the floor, attempting to convince him about their relationship. Somehow every imagining ended up with seppuku.

"Sorry, I'm a tad bit worried what my dad might be thinking," Konata said.

"Yeah, he's a weird guy but when something like this happens in real life it gets kinda blurry."

"Hmm? Oh, my mind's already braced for that. I'm just hoping if he does accept us, would he get all jealous and want to talk about it? Or worst…" Konata muttered.

"_So Kuroi, you're a lolicon too? Want to go prowling with me sometime?" _

"That isn't sitting right with me at all…"

Arriving at the station, both of them rose from their seat and headed to the doors before the train managed to completely stop. The doors began to slide open and Konata ran into them before allowing a decent crack to form. Kuroi pulled her back and scanned the girl's head for any bumps. "Calm down, you're just as flustered as I am about this too."

"Yeah, sorry. I know him best and either way if he accepts us or not there's going to be problems," Konata said. "But let's hurry up. My house isn't too far from here by foot."

Small drops of snowflakes started to glide down from the gray sky above. Kuroi noticed Konata's quiet panting, not from the noise, but from the patterned and rushed poof of cold breath from her small mouth. She had to calm her down in some way, Kuroi never had the best relationship with her parents during hard times like this, she could at least assist Konata anyway she could. Slowly to ensure composure, she placed a warm hand on her student's shoulder. An innocent look of surprise was shot at her, asking _Will you really stick by me? _Kuroi responded with a confident, collected smile from years of counseling failing students who believed they could never pass. "It's going to be alright Konata. You're not alone."

"Yeah, I'm positive we can get him."

Past the corner and a little way down the sidewalk stood the foreboding domain of the Izumi family which now managed to make Konata want to turn away. Pressing onwards, the couple walked through the snow blanket yard and knocked on the front door. "I hope that's you Konata," Sojiro said seconds before opening the doorway. "I guess Kagami told him," Konata told herself.

"Ms. Kuroi? What are you doing with Konata? It's not another planned trip is it? I should really thank you a lot for taking her out," Sojiro innocently said. That only jumped up the fear in the girls' hearts. _"He knows, now he wants to hear it from our mouths," _Kuroi thought to herself. She wanted to come clean before any mind games began to play. "Can I talk to you, adult-to-adult?"

"I was expecting this," he said, stepping aside to let them in. Konata stayed silent, following Kuroi into her own home. She thought it over dozens of times before coming here. If they couldn't convince him then she would break it off. The last person she wanted trouble with was her father. Knowing Kuroi, she expected the same belief from her. The house was toasty, at least giving them physical comfort during this emotional trial. Sojiro offered them the living room table in front of the television. Unfortunately Yutaka was sitting there as well enjoying a dog show.

"Should I leave?" She asked, sensing the atmosphere. Sojiro shook his head. "No, you're family so you can listen to this too."

He took his seat next to his niece, watching the expressions on his daughter and the teacher's face. Fears of somber news were confirmed. _"Crap, he's really mad if he wants Yutaka to hear this too,"_ Kuroi reviewed. Konata gave a smile to her cousin before sitting down across from her father. There was a lurking silence hovering between them. Kuroi broke it by clearing her voice. "Sojiro, you've known me for a while and know you can trust me. I've never done anything to raise suspicion or to hurt Konata. I've always remained watchful of her and her friends. In addition, you can imagine that by my age I have become very open minded to certain things but still remain the same person. Please remember this as I tell what Konata and I have been doing."

"What…both of you have been doing?" Sojiro asked in bafflement. "What are you two doing that I don't know about?"

"You don't know?" Konata asked.

"No, Kagami came and told me to leave you a message. It said that she decided to have faith in you and that she will be there for you. I naturally assumed something was the matter with Konata," her father explained. "I was surprised to see you with her Ms. Kuroi. What is going on?"

"_Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap!"_ Kuroi quickly looked at Konata. Konata looked back at her. They never expected this! Kagami changed her mind and kept their relationship a secret but they wound up nearly confessing it anyway. They both tried to think of a way out of this, hoping one of them would spew out an explanation. Sojiro and Yutaka watched as the two panicked before them, tapping their fingers and looking about the room and at each other. Konata then sighed heavily. "We should just tell him."

"I suppose you're right. Better to get it over with now than later," Kuroi replied. "Mr. Izumi, I'm dating your daughter Konata."

"What?!" he howled, his expression matching that of someone who just got ambushed on the street. Yutaka turned a gentle red and began to fidget around, not knowing what to do in this situation, searching everyone for a proper reaction. Konata couldn't make anything from her father's face as he just stared back at them both. "It's true dad."

"Well…to be honest, no, I have to put my foot down here. Konata what are you thinking?" he said with a forced loudness. He was bad at disciplining his daughter, it was hardly ever necessary.

"I know, I know. It was strange at first too but it's not like this suddenly happened. And the way it all did is really weird but…it's true," Konata desperately explained. In the back of her mind she prayed Kuroi didn't regret doing this with her. "You lied to me then, about today? About lunch with your friends?" He said.

"I'm sorry."

"And the other night, when she dropped you off home. Was that a date?"

"Yes."

"Konata…I cannot say I'm particularly happy about this." His stern voice was surprisingly strong and dominant, he was genuinely upset now. Konata had only heard it a few times as a child but it had been years since then. What did she expect from this situation? What would he do? Konata imagined hitting but he could never touch her like that, it went against his beliefs. He might punish her and force them apart. "Please, don't just fuss to Konata. I deserve a lot of the blame," Kuroi said.

He breathed deeply and exhaled before continuing. "I will speak truthfully. I am not mad about this relationship."

The couple's eyes sprung with surprise. "I always rather have Konata with someone I know and trust, a friend. I'm not surprised she chose a woman either; I can't blame her for that. I…I just feel a bit hurt that you lied to me Konata. You never do that and if this relationship would require such behavior I don't know if I should allow it."

"It won't, I promise." Konata said. "I'm sorry about lying to you. I just didn't know how to talk to you about it. If I had known you would accept it…"

"But I also try to think about what your mother would say," he interrupted. "If she were still here, would she approve of something like this? I want to carry on her wishes as well, even if she isn't here. Ms. Kuroi, can you offer my daughter happiness?"

"I don't know. But I will try my hardest to make it so," Kuroi said. "We've only went out once. I still don't know everything about her but there's no doubt I will try my best."

He stared at them both just as Kagami glared into Konata's eyes, with baffled thoughts swimming behind his trying to put everything together. Kuroi and Konata never stopped looking back with resilience and fear of the results. Sojiro sat back down.

"I see. Fine then, I will accept this relationship. I really do wish for you two to get along. I rather Konata date a woman than a man anyway. But Konata, you'll still have to be punished for lying to me."

"What's my punishment?" she reluctantly asked, saving the relief and joy afterwards.

"No Nintendo DS for a week."

"What? But I just got Rune Factory 2 and Chrono Trigger!" Konata reminded. Kuroi placed her hand back on Konata's shoulder and smiled at her. "Okay…I'll do it. Besides, there's plenty to do with Nanako-chan until then!"

"_My life is getting better every second,"_ Sojiro happily thought to himself, adding the mature-but-cute woman to his family collection. He watched as the two planned out their next date, able to fully enjoy himself now that his dad mode could rest for a while. _"Don't' screw this up Konata!"_

Sojiro: So Ms. Kuroi, are you a lolicon then?

Kuroi: A what now?

Sojiro: Never mind.

Konata: Phew…a catastrophe avoided.


	7. Chapter 7:Start of the Hunt

Hidden Candy

Chapter 7: Start of the Hunt

"So your father accepted it?" asked Kagami, her head hunched over her lunch in disbelief. Tsukasa was forced to move her bento to the corner of the desk to avoid any pigtails from getting in her food. It was lunch time once again and with everyone quickly learning of the supposedly secret relationship between their teacher and their friend it was time for a meeting after class. Konata rose from her seat at the desk all four girls encircled and clacked her chopsticks together. "The meeting is now in session! First off, I would like to thank my good friend Miyuki for keeping it a secret."

"I kind of told my mother…" Miyuki nervously muttered. "But she doesn't know it's a teacher or that it's Ms. Kuroi. I needed advice on the situation because I still feel a bit uneasy about it."

"I would punish you but you're so cute when you're bothered," Konata grunted. "And you, Tsukasa. More like Tsu-traitor!"

"But I don't know how Kagami figured out and she won't tell me!" Tsukasa whined. Kagami mischievously grinned and leaned back in her seat. She had to keep it a secret or else her method would become pointless. Judging from Konata's sharpened expression she wasn't accepting excuses. She pulled up her bag and dug through the junk inside until she found it, the punishing tool. "Please don't beat me with that fan!" Tsukasa pleaded.

"There's no choice," Konata said. "Your head's empty anyway so you might not feel it…or it might just crack your hollow skull."

Konata raised the closed fan into the air and swung for a strike. "Hold it right there, only I can pummel the students," Kuroi said, holding Konata's wrist. She managed to only stop it inches before contact. Kagami and Miyuki quietly applauded the feat, glad that somebody stopped the unusual torture proposed by their friend. "You're lucky my lover stopped me," Konata said. "But I forgive you anyway Tsukasa. You're a good friend and I know you tried your best."

"Lovers huh? A bit quick to jump the gun aren't we?" Kuroi teasingly remarked.

Konata placed her palm atop the twin's head and rubbed gently. It only took a second for the palm to curl up into a fist. "But I still feel like I was suckered."

"Alright, alright. Calm down Konata," Kagami ordered, consoling once Konata's fists were clear from her head. "The fear you've made her feel should be enough. It's okay Tsukasa."

Kuroi waited until the other students cleared the room, keeping an eye on everyone around her. The constant stares were enough to make them want to leave anyway. "Any who, I wanted to know if Konata and I dating might be causing you guys any problems," she started. "And to clear up any mess, I already told her not to expect any special treatments. Her grades will be as low as ever, if not lower."

"The good news keeps on rolling," Konata happily added. Miyuki could vouch for the statement; she was hiding under the desk when the two discussed such matters. Kagami felt relieved at the sound of it but chose to wait until she saw some graded tests later. Tsukasa had never actually thought that Konata might get benefits from dating the teacher, except maybe a car ride home and spare pencils on tests.

"_Here Konata," Kuroi would devilishly slither, slipping a pencil out of her sleeve and onto Konata's desk. Her otaku friend would grin back, stealthily sliding the pencil under her arm "Fufufu. Thanks babe. Now I won't have to waste my time sharpening my other pencil. I have a major advantage over the rest of these suckers," Konata would coarsely explain. "Suckers like Tsukasa." She would end it all by giving the teacher a quick slap on the butt before she walked off to check the other students._ At least this was the dark fantasy Tsukasa had cooked up in her mind. From now on, she would check to see if Konata was mysteriously getting extra pencils.

"I'm just glad that any possible trouble is now gone," Miyuki added. Kagami had to say something against this optimistic perspective. "I'll have to disagree; you guys can't go around doing lovey-dovey stuff at school or anything. You'll get caught easily. You never know whose watching."

"Don't tell them that!" a voice yelled out from behind the front desk. Konata quickly entered her battle stance. It was time for bloodshed. "Who's there?" Kuroi asked.

"It's just me, don't be alarmed!" Hiyori quickly explained, standing on her two feet. Kagami, Miyuki and Tsukasa looked at the couple with concern. Konata noticed the expectant looks and quickly attacked the situation. "Don't worry, Hiyori already knows about us. She figured out the same day Tsukasa and Miyuki did."

"That's right, now can you please at least try to sneak a kiss or do certain things behind the school during breaks? Give me something to work with," Hiyori begged.

"What about Minami and Yutaka, can't you busy yourself with them?" Konata asked.

"No, this is far more interesting. You guys have inspired a burning flare within me! I must have you both in my works. It's so forbidden, more forbidden than Mitaka!"

"Mitaka? What's that?" Tsukasa asked. Konata gave off a smug smile, ready to pollute Tsukasa's innocent mind with another dark tidbit from the otaku world. Kagami wanted to warn her friend not to do so but she realize it didn't matter. "It's the name of the Minami x Yutaka pairing."  
"You guys are sick…" Kagami noted. "Bothering people and pressuring them into your fantasies."

Across the school, a few halls and turns from the gang's class Minami and Yutaka blissfully ate away at their lunches, sharing a single desk together and facing each other in their usual blushes of admiration. It was one of the few days the sickly girl could come to school yet Hiyori had sacrificed this opportunity for better prey. "Yutaka." Minami said, still holding her chopsticks.

"Yes? What is it?"

"Doesn't it feel like a dark presence has left us?"

"I do feel like somebody's always watching me anymore," Yutaka gladly said. The two didn't give it a second thought and resumed eating. Minami began to wonder where Hiyori ran off to in such a hurry after the bell rang.

"Please stop bothering us, okay?" Kuroi asked, already weary from Konata's friend's determination to perversely watch them interact for adult pleasures. Konata didn't find it too wise to be so demanding of someone who was keeping their relationship a secret. "Just try not getting caught when you follow us around, okay?" she insisted. "It'll ruin our mood."

"I totally understand. And no matter what your secret is safe with me! I wouldn't want to mess such a great pairing!" Hiyori said, "You may continue."

Kuroi glanced at Konata, reserving her judgment on the doujin artist for the moment. Her girlfriend sure had made a bundle of unusual friends. With careful consideration though, she enjoyed the atmosphere about the class. It felt so long since she could talk with others beside Yui and fellow teachers. If all worked out well, she greatly considered becoming better friends with everyone, more so than presently. "So Konata, want to eat at my desk? I was thinking we could arrange another date this week."

"Sure, you guys don't mind if I leave for a bit right?" Konata asked. Everyone nodded and let her off. Tsukasa hid it until she saw both of their backs, shooting worrisome eyes at her sister. What if this became a habit? If their teacher started getting all of Konata's attention that would mean less time she could spend with her friends. Tsukasa had never said it but she always considered Konata to be her best friend, especially since they both get average scores on their test and could talk more comfortably around each other. "Don't worry Tsukasa, everything's going to be okay," Kagami contently reassured, not knowing what her sister's concern orbited around. Miyuki nodded once more. "Yes, we just need to be there for Konata."

"You're right," Tsukasa replied. "I think we can trust Ms Kuroi. She takes us on all those trips and doesn't do anything bad, right?"

"She might now," Kagami mumbled. "Probably something perverted with Konata while we're all asleep."

"But don't they look nice together?" Miyuki kindly inputted, influencing all three of them to turn and watch the two converse happily at the table. For once their teacher looked entranced in conversation, actually laughing more in those few minutes than they've ever seen her in all two years they knew her. Kuroi held her sandwich in one hand, moving the other one through the air as she excitedly described her experience on a rollercoaster during a field trip. Konata's mouth was barely visible past the wall of noodles slowly grinding into it but her large, lit eyes nonetheless greatly focused on the woman speaking to her. "I wonder if they are in a world of roses and pink hue," Miyuki softly asked.

"Don't let Konata's imagination rot your brain now," Kagami warned.

Classes ended rather abruptly to the girls, they could only talk about Konata and Kuroi as they stepped out of the school's entrance. The subjects of their discussion remained in class, speaking privately with each other. "What do you think they're talking about?" Tsukasa asked. "Are they already having an argument?"

"I don't think it's that," Kagami passed off. The very image of a furious Konata barely remained solid in her mind. Besides, it was a bit too early in the relationship to start arguing and such. All three of them could only summon to mind arguments between Konata and Kagami, all of which were trivial and ended with an apology from both with compromise.

"We're really lucky aren't we?" Miyuki began to say, "Konata really is a wonderful person. I think she will make Kuroi-sensei happy and we should wish them both happiness."

The reluctance spun onto Kagami's face was obvious but she couldn't deny the truth. "Yeah, an odd couple like them would only seem fitting for Konata," Kagami replied, cracking a smile. "I guess we really should have expected something like this from her."

"They're more alike than you think," Tsukasa added, withdrawing herself with a single glance from her sister. She wouldn't deny her opinion though, the more she thought about it the more the two seem to fit as a pair. Kagami's irritation didn't stem from that though, it was more Konata-related. "Well, enough with all this talking about them. Konata isn't even here and she manages to be the center of attention. Let them be happy, they look nice together, yeah, yeah."

"Do you envy Kuroi-sensei for getting Konata?" Miyuki wittingly asked, amused by her own comment and Kagami's flushing cheeks. She was met with a sharp denial and evasion of sight. Tsukasa giggled, knowing Kagami would tell her to stop it immediately anyway. Konata definitely brought a playful air to the group, even when she wasn't there. Instead, she now sat atop the center seat in the first row of the empty class. Only her teacher kept her company, holding an open soda from her can as she leaned against the blackboard. "So it's decided then," Konata said. Her smile seemed easy to bring up Kuroi noticed, almost anything pleased the girl. It helped let a casualness leak in.

So far, Konata had proven to be quite the low-maintenance girl bundled with common sense and a quirk personality. Kuroi could honestly admit, the more she spoke with her the more interesting and fitting this relationship seemed to be. "Yep, on Friday you take me to a place you choose at ten and then at 1 we spend the rest of the afternoon at my places," Kuroi restated.

"It's going to be great, you're going to love Akihabara," Konata bravely claimed, hardly considering what Kuroi's true reaction would be to the anime-obsessed center of Japan. "And I can't wait to see what kind of places you like to go to. I just hope it's not a bar."

"Don't worry, I'm not some drunk. The past few days have really just butchered me with stress though, I should take it easy."

Kuroi caught the time on the classroom's clock and began packing her bag. With a few errands at home, she couldn't afford to spend anymore time with Konata after school. She grabbed her keys and from her desk and turned the lights off near the blackboard. "You need a ride home?" she asked, noticing Konata following her closely as they exited the room. "I usually go on the train but I much rather get dropped off," Konata answered. "But aren't you worried someone may see me getting into your car?"

"Don't worry, I'll just say it was an emergency or something," Kuroi said. "Besides, a lot of the teachers are too busy to stay in the parking lot and scope us out. The offices aren't near there either so no one can catch us through any windows."

"How tactical. My kind of woman," Konata said. Navigating through the halls, the two stayed at each others' sides as if an unspoken contract had been formed between them. Kuroi constantly eyed every side and angle for teachers or students. Konata felt obligated to help stake out the path as well, if Kuroi acted so seriously about it she should at least assist. Finally clearing the building, the two turned walked past the front gates and turned into the lot specifically for school staff. Konata recognized the silver car standing tall in the sea of vehicles. Kuroi unlocked the front door causing the other three doors to click as well. Konata reached for the back seat door but came to a pause. She looked at the passenger seat and felt a strange discomfort, it was like unexplored territory. "Huh? What's wrong? Forgot something?" Kuroi asked.

"It's nothing. I just remembered I used to sit in the back all the time when you drove us on trips. I always thought it'd be weird to actually sit next to you," Konata explained. Kuroi went ahead and buckled herself into the seat, now waiting for Konata's decision. The teenager released the handle to the back door and walked up to the front. Kuroi watched her with amusement and slight concern. She stretched over and opened the door from the inside. "Hurry up and come in," she said. "I won't bite ya."

Showing another easily won smile, Konata hopped into the passenger seat and buckled up. "Our first big step as lovers!"

"Oh boy…you have a long, hard path in front of you," Kuroi said.

"Oh Nanako-chan, I've been calling you sensei all day and now I get to call you by your first name and even sit next to you in the car. This Friday's date is going to be great!" cheered Konata. Kuroi pulled out her cell phone and hit the speed dial. Most of the numbers didn't have a person to contact with that method, just Yui and her parents. "I usually go out with Yui on Fridays, I should tell her not to expect me this week."

Yui felt a vibration in her pocket. "Hello?"

"Yui, it's me, Nanako."

"Oh, hey Nanako! How's it going?" Yui asked.

"It's going great. I just wanted to tell you I won't be able to join you at the usual place this Friday. I've got plans with somebody."

"Really? Who is it? Is it a boy?" Yui curiously asked. She was never the kind of person to pick on someone so simply asking was her way of politely getting an explanation for why she couldn't see her friend this week. Kuroi cleared her throat, not used to lying, especially to her friends. "It's kind of like that but not what you think," Kuroi said. "So, I'll see you next week or this weekend even."

"Come on, you can tell me," Yui sang.

"What was that? I can't hear you? It sounds like the wind is blowing on your side."

"It's because I'm outside Nanako. I was going to see Konata on my way home and ask her how Yutaka was," explained Yui. The wind flowed through her short green hair as she drove along. "But anyway, I want to hear all about your little date with this mysterious boyfriend next time we meet. Is he there right now? I oughta to warn him to treat you right or else he'll have the police force to deal with."

"Um…he's sleeping right now," Kuroi said, continuing the lying spree. "Maybe some other time, see ya."

She quickly snapped the phone shut and started the ignition. Konata hummed with pleasure at Kuroi's poor lying skills. Her teacher was too busy paying attention as she backed up and drove past the only path in the parking lot. "You better be glad I'm not the lying type."

"I am glad but I didn't suspect that you were either," Konata said with a grin. Kuroi nodded, finding the exit out of the lot and driving to the edge of traffic. "Whoa!" Konata yelped out. A woman on a bicycle nearly crashed into the car, quickly hitting the brakes before crashing into the vehicle. Kuroi rolled down the window to apologize. "I'm sorry, I didn't…" Her words slipped out of her hung jaw. Yui looked at her and smiled. "It's alright. I should have been paying attention to be honest. Had to put my phone back in my pocket."

"Yeah, you're okay right?" Kuroi nervously asked, slowly rolling up her window with every passing second. "Yeah, I'm okay and…wait, is that Ko-"

"See ya next week!" Kuroi shouted before driving onto the streets and away from the scene. She wanted to speed from the situation but she knew Yui would just give her a ticket later. Konata panicked at first too, hoping her curling into a ball would have prevented her sighting. "No need to worry right?" Kuroi chuckled, trying to mask the slight panic in her voice. "We can just say it was an emergency or something."

"It'll be alright, Yui will think she just saw something." Suddenly her cell phone rang. Konata pulled it out and saw Yui's name flashing on her screen. She looked at Kuroi who told her to answer it. "Hello cousin Yui," Konata greeted, trying to act as casual as possible. "Where am I? I just left school so I'm boarding the train home."

"Okay, I'll meet you at your stop," Yui said. "We can walk home together. I was planning to stop by your house anyway."

"S-sure…" Konata muttered. "See ya there."

She closed the phone and quickly put it in her pocket. "So what happened?" Kuroi asked, stopping at a red light. They were now on a four way intersection, about to head towards Konata's house a few miles away. "She expects to meet me at my train stop."

"The cop's on our tail huh? Guess we better turn back," Kuroi said, gripping the steering wheel. "Hold on Konata!"

"Wait Nanako-chan! You can't make a U-turn here!!"

But she did. Driving back in the opposite direction now, Yui saw the car driving on the other side of the road. She knew Kuroi's home was the other way, the way she was originally traveling. "Something isn't right here…"

"You better be ducking!" Kuroi ordered but Konata had already prepared herself and remained bent down in the passenger seat, her head between her legs. Once they made it past a few more lights, Kuroi told Konata it was safe to rise again. She parked in front of the train station which was only a short distance from the school, about a minute precise. "That was a bit of a rush huh?"

"Yeah, my back hurts a little," Konata said, rubbing it.

"I'm sorry about that. I don't know what Yui would do if she caught us together," Kuroi said. "She has quite some power. Different from the school which could just take away my job. I don't know if there's a law against what we're doing but I'm not risking it."

"I agree," Konata said. "Well, see you tomorrow then. Today sure was lively Nanako-chan!"

"Yeah, it really was. But I enjoyed it. Want to meet up online later tonight?"

"I assumed we would anyway," Konata blankly said. "I just hope cousin Yui doesn't stay over late. Wouldn't want her seeing who I was talking to over the internet."

"Yeah, you have a good day Konata. I'm looking forward to Friday too. Heck, we have the whole week to see each other before then," Kuroi said.

"Yep, see ya later."

"Yeah…every day, every week huh?" Kuroi muttered, feeling something gently nudge at her heart. It wasn't pleasant, it was irritating.


	8. Chapter 8:Dirty Jokes!

Hidden Candy

Chapter 8: Dirty Jokes?!

Friday morning silently drifted through the neighborhood gardens, tempting a sheet of mist to barely reach down onto the streets. A cold front flowed into Japan for the morning, reported to leave before noon. It only added to the chilly crispness the fading winter season emitted. Sojiro made certain to pull out the kotatsu; letting his niece Yui put her legs underneath it first. She had visited all week except for Tuesday, usually checking up on Konata and asking her how her days were at school. It was a bit unusual; she never appeared so attentive about such a thing prior to Monday, as if she were trying to grasp onto something.

"You know, I would gladly welcome you here anytime," Sojiro said, plugging in the kotatsu.. "But are you certain there's nothing wrong? We have plenty of time to talk about anything you want."

"You're right," Yui said as she inched under the covers, trying her best to see if she could stick her feet out of the other side of the kotatsu. "I've been coming over all week and not explaining myself. I think there's something suspicious about Konata and Kuroi. I just get this weird feeling that something's happening."

"I wouldn't worry too much about it," Sojiro said. "Konata's a good girl and she's been home all week. Well…except for today that is."

"What's happening today?" Yui asked.

"Well…" He wasn't entirely positive a law enforcer would take Konata and Kuroi's relationship lightly. He was used to having her keep an eye on him though. For now he would cover for the two, wishing the school year would hurry on up and end for once. Yui noted the pause but kept it in the back of her mind for now. He took a moment to collect himself and continued. "She'll be going out with some friends tonight."

"Oh really? Where?"

How should he answer? If he told her where, it could put Kuroi and Konata at risk but if he didn't then he was acting secretive which would only feed the suspicion in his supposedly moeblob of a niece. Her intentions were always good but this time she was simply another obstacle for the two. "Konata said they were going all to the usual places."

"What are the usual places?"

"_You're lucky you're cute…"_ Sojiro thought to himself, amazed by how quickly she could pick at a situation. She was more than a cop; she was a detective, one who could keep her innocent mask on as she questioned you. "Well, I think they're….*yawn*, this kotatsu is so comfortable in the winter don't you think?"

"Yeah, well, as long as you know where Konata is. Wouldn't want her getting into to trouble," Yui said, to pressure the situation any further would suspicious of her as well. A subtle hint would be best. "She's my precious cousin after all."

Sojiro nodded, feigning fatigue as he slid onto the floor and rested his head. Hopefully Yui wouldn't come up with an idea of where they might go today. Yui in Akihabara was a half strange, half real image in his head. She would seem more like a tourist who would only window shop, or in her case, an undercover cop chasing criminals through an unknown big city like New York. The horror of the scene playing in his head, of Yui shoving people aside in the crowded streets as Konata and Kuroi ran away made his heart leap in panic. "Please Kanata, watch over our daughter," he whispered before deciding to actually fall asleep. But a runaway romance of legality taboo gave his mind plenty to work with as he dreamt away.

"Konata, this is a bit much," Kagami said, sitting around the otaku's desk with everyone else for lunch. A twitching irritation was jumping about her face. It was the usual set up except now their teacher sat between Tsukasa and Konata. Miyuki tried to keep up a conversation but with the tension between Kagami and Kuroi mixed in with Tsukasa's blank minded state of confusion of sitting next to her tutor, Konata's attempt to combine both her love life and her friends for lunch had failed. "Yeah, this isn't working too well," Kuroi said, picking up her lunch.

"Sorry Nanako-chan. I thought this would work but I guess not," Konata said, not regretting the decision. Everyone's reactions were prize enough for her. Kuroi took her tray of food and stood up, returning the chair to her front desk. She decided to finish her lunch in the teacher's lounge, leaving the girls alone again in the classroom. Kagami, Tsukasa, and Miyuki sighed a breath of relief. They didn't dislike Kuroi but it was rather strange to have her sitting with them like that. Konata's perspective of looking past her authoritative image was one unique to her. "Sorry guys, I just wanted to try and see what happened."

"That was awkward wasn't it?" Miyuki asked, smiling as she held her cheek.

"Yeah, Konata. We don't have much of a problem with you two but we can't see her the way you do," Kagami said. She returned to her lunch, waiting for Tsukasa to balance her nerves. "Sorry, sorry. It's not a big deal right?" Konata asked. "Besides, I was worried you guys might have missed me while I talked to Nanako-chan all week."

"Don't think so highly of yourself," Kagami sternly said. Tsukasa smiled and leaned towards Konata's ear, covering her whispers with one ear. "Oh really," hummed Konata with great interest.

"W-what are you telling her?!" Kagami fussed, fully aware of the answer. Konata's devilish grin was over halfway as high as her nose. "You missed me didn't you Kagamin?"

"Tsukasa!!"

"I'm sorry! You didn't say to keep it a secret!" the ribbon topped twin countered, actually having fun shielding herself from any potential hits for her head. The real question is if it weren't a secret, why whisper it? Miyuki held back her lunch to ensure its safety as Konata watched, completely entertained from the sight of two girls arguing over her. The bickering managed to reach so far as Kuroi's ears who decided to stroll to the teacher's lounge today. Usually she would only keep this slow speed to allow her students to ask questions or for help. "Ah, it's you!" one of the men called out from the row she was designated to. "You sure have vanished from during this time."

"That's because my students love me too much," Kuroi remarked, taking her rightful place beside him. She realized the truth behind her statement quickly and regretted saying it. He attempted at further conversation, asking her what she's been doing and how her class has been treating her. She felt obliged to answer but her mind wanted to focus on something else. When she had a chance, she began to think silently to herself. Konata was proving to be quite different from what she had expected. Fortunately it was a good thing.

She never believed they could speak so casually to each other or as often about any issue that popped in their heads. The past week really gave her a spark in the morning, a reason to pry her eyes open. The argument earlier that week did remain fresh in her head, she still questioned if perhaps she was a bit too harsh on Konata.

"So yeah, we had our first fight already," Konata slipped the news into the conversation after being asked how the relationship was passing. The girls asked what happened, not wishing for anything too bad. "Don't worry, it was something really small but I guess…when you get into something like this with somebody you expect it."

"Just tell us," Kagami said.

The day was no different from any other day; Kuroi went to school, talked to Konata all throughout lunch and drove her home. Class work and an especially huge pile of tests to grade put Kuroi in a harsh slump. Coming home meant eating and finishing the papers and judging from sight alone it was already impossible. The workload managed to nearly split her folder apart. Frustration was beginning to build up inside. The night before she didn't sleep too well which made the day more tiring than usual. With Konata now involved in her life she had less time than she did before. The only hope for relaxation tonight was a microwaveable dinner and a hot bath, a humble paradise for a humble worker. Her warmth had barely left the doorknob when Konata called on her cell phone. "What the? We just saw each other."

She calmed herself and cleared her throat before answering the phone. "Hello Konata."

"Hiya Nanako-chan!" she said. "How's it going? What are you doing now?"

"I just got home, what do you want?" Kuroi knew the tone she was speaking in, it hinted at a spit of irritation. Hopefully Konata would get it.

"I just felt like talking," Konata cheerfully replied. At home she was already dressed in comfortable clothing and lying on her bed. "What are you going to do tonight?"

"Is that what you want to talk about? Geez, can't you call later?" Kuroi said, almost falling back as she kept the phone pressed between her ear and shoulder while attempting to take off her coat at the same time. "Of course not!" Konata said, being as playful as she always was.

"Well, I don't feel like talking right now," Kuroi said. She finally managed to get the coat off and threw into the hamper. Next was her shirt. "What's going on?" Konata sang. "I bet I can help."

"No, you can't help," Kuroi bluntly disapproved, like she was denying a child candy at the store. "I'm trying to undress right now."

"Ooh, nice. What's coming off now?"

"None of your business, can you just be quiet for a minute?" The girl just wouldn't stop. Konata continued to talk. Kuroi tossed the phone onto the bed so she could completely change into something looser. She was shocked to hear murmurs coming from the phone. "She's still talking?"

"So I recorded it for both of us to watch," Konata had said as Kuroi returned her ear to the device. "Listen, Konata, could you wait until tomorrow? I would really like to enjoy the little time I have today to rest."

"Well, are we still going to meet online tonight?" Konata asked.

"No, I have a lot of work to do. I've got papers to grade, documents to fill out, evaluations to handle." Each thing to do built up more irritation inside the woman. She glared at the stock of work shoving its way out of her bag. Hatred was the only emotion to describe her feelings towards the inevitable paperwork. "It gets so much worst so please forgive me if I don't have enough time to talk to you for _another_ eight hours."

"You don't have to sound like that," Konata muttered. She was used to this kind of fussing from Kagami but no one else talked to her like this, she expected something different from her teacher. Kuroi gripped her phone, "Well I gave you plenty of hints, you should have been listening. We've been talking all day everyday. Can't you give me a break?"

"Don't you want to talk me?" Konata retorted. "I thought we were a couple."

"Listen, don't act like a brat now. I have a lot to do and little time to do it. If you want to act immature then do it by yourself because I don't feel like wasting my time," Kuroi quickly and sharply said. "I really need a break from you."

"I'm sorry you think talking to me is a waste of time. I was just assuming our mouths had a purpose," Konata angrily said, pouting on the other line. Kuroi felt more offended than before, Konata just didn't get it. "I'm going to hang up on you if you don't use your mouth to shut up."

"Fine!"

"Fine then!" Kuroi fussed back, hanging up. Konata turned off her phone and dove into the pillows, holding them tightly. She hadn't recalled the last she felt such anger. Sojiro popped in to ask how her day was but the soul piercing glare his daughter's knife eyes sent at him told him to retreat. He exited as silently as he barely came in. Kuroi paced the room, venting about the argument. "Geez, I'm too tired to deal with her everyday. Can't she understand I have a job and what not! I got errands to run, students who need my help, staff work to handle. What's that girl's problem anyway? Can't even take a hint?"

She turned to her work and brought it to her bed where she worked hastily over each entry form and line. "Forget this; I'll do the tests first! They're the easiest after all."

Marking the wrong questions red and leaving the correct problems alone, she would reach the worst part of a test, the essays. These parts didn't have an answer key; it was too open for opinion and detail that each one had to be viewed thoroughly. It only frustrated her more, like realizing you put a red hat into your white laundry. As she worked she continued thinking over the argument, letting her hands work away as her mind wandered. Konata's arguing was new to her; it almost seemed like a law of nature for the little otaku to never lose her temper. Young people, at least what Kuroi thought, definitely had different expectations of a relationship. Perhaps Konata's were crushed in the argument. "Maybe I was a bit too harsh on her. I could have tolerated her a bit longer…"

When she was finished with Tsukasa's quiz; she gave off a proud smile. The little Hiiragi did well this time, perhaps her sister was helping her study. Thinking of Tsukasa led to thinking about Konata, which made her feel worst about their spat. Konata had her role in the fight but that didn't make Kuroi's behavior proper either. Next up was Konata's paper of all things. Izumi did follow Hiiragi. Like a true professional, she graded it fairly. The essay was done inappropriately and amateurishly so she graded it as such but it did remind her of the petite girl, bringing back the negative review she gave herself over the argument. "I should really call Konata and apologize."

Konata played away on her Nintendo DS beside the computer when her phone rang. She knew by the Bravin' Bad Brew ringtone that it was Kuroi. She quickly leapt out of her chair and landed on her bed, grabbing the phone as quickly as it was in her reach. "Hello?" she said.

"Hey Konata…it's me," Kuroi said. "How's, how's everything?"

"Good," Konata said in an almost sarcastic tone. She meant no malice; she felt as awkward as her teacher did, noting the sudden twitch in speech. Kuroi wasn't a shy person; neither was Konata but this was a new situation for them. They both knew the results of a fight and if dealt with wrongly, it could cost them. A short silence hummed by before the two spoke at once. "You go ahead," Konata said, chuckling for a split second.

"I just wanted to...well, apologize for what happened earlier. I shouldn't have been so harsh to you and…well; you don't deserve to be treated that way. I'm sorry."

Now she waited. "Thank you," Konata warmly said, feeling herself sink into the bed. Her body seemed to relax itself. "But, maybe I should apologize as well. I'm sorry for not understanding your situation. I guess I'm getting too excited about us going out, I got a little carried away."

Kuroi smiled and let herself sink further into the bed too, putting the papers aside. Her free hair expanded across the bed. She began to dangle her feet off the edge before nuzzling into the pillows behind her. "It's okay Konata. I can understand what you're talking about. I'm excited too; I just wished I didn't have so much work today. It really has piled up so I was frustrated. I guess what I really want is some personal space."

"Personal space?" Konata concernedly repeated. "Is spending time with me starting to bother you?"

"Don't take it that," Kuroi kindly said. She began to twirl her pen along her fingers, waiting for it to reach the pinky where she would grab it. "Too much of a good thing can be bothersome. But we can't just go headfirst into this, you understand? We're not really at the phase where we can do this everyday and see each other all the time. To tell you the truth, there's times where I really want to be by myself."

"I understand, I guess."

"Konata, I'm not hanging up until you feel good about this," Kuroi said, placing the pen down onto the bed. Her eyes pointed towards the phone as if it were Konata lying right beside her.

"How can I? I love being with you."

"I know you do and I love being with you but we're not married Konata, we shouldn't act like we are. I mean, I see you all day at school, when you go home; I talk to you on the phone, and see you online. I can't have a moment for just me or other people." Kuroi explained.

This really would be a measure of Konata's maturity. She really did hope the teenager could see it her way. Konata carefully ponder the situation, but all she saw was bad. Then she decided to try and put herself in Kuroi's position. What if cousin Yui came over all the time like she did this week, always talking and never letting her leave the house alone or giving her a chance to play games alone? A little smile crept onto Konata's cheek. "Okay, I am content," she said. "I understand completely."

"Konata, are you sure you understand? You're not mad or anything? This is perfectly normal for people to want to have some time by them self you know," Kuroi cautiously said.

"You don't have to worry about me, I understand. I overreacted so I guess I need to apologize again," Konata said chuckling.

"No need for that, you little squirt," Kuroi said. "Just try to tone it down a bit and I'll try my best not to fuss at you like that, even if I'm bushed."

"Sure! I'll go solo tonight or something," Konata happily stated. Surprisingly Kuroi was laughing on the other end. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, you'll go solo tonight huh? Are you sure you're talking about an online game?" Kuroi asked before bursting into chuckles.

"Y-you just made a dirty joke!" Konata said with amazement. She had never expected that from her teacher yet she was pleasantly surprised. The fight faded into memory, rewarding the both of them with cushioned warmth in their hearts as they continued to talk. Konata made sure to not keep Kuroi busy but there was another side to Kuroi and she wanted more.

"So we made up and that was that," Konata said, ending the story. She began to eat her lunch and allowed the others to absorb it all in. "That's amazing how you made up," Tsukasa commented. "I never really thought you two would have any problems."

"Of course they're going to have problems," Kagami noted. "Besides Konata, there's plenty a relationship has to work out. We had to fuss at Konata for talking to us too much when we just started being friends."

"Actually, that was just you Kagami," Miyuki said.

"Well…yeah, but you were all thinking it."

"I'm glad you did though," Konata said. "I guess I know what people mean when they say a fight can be good sometimes. It can help clear up all kinds of problems. More people should be fighting, it's good medicine!"

"Hey now, that's a terrible philosophy," Kagami said, hoping to stop any cults from forming with the concept of fighting your loved ones for peace. The paradox alone was troublesome to get around. "Fighting does hurt people though," Tsukasa said. "I remember after Kagami fussed at you about talking too much, she was sad about the face you made afterwards. She really regretted doing it but I guess it had to be done."

"You pitied me?" Konata slyly asked.

"Tsukasa! Keep your big mouth shut!" Kagami roared.

"Yes, nobody's perfect," Miyuki commented. "Not everyone can accept everything about their friends. I think it's best we adjust ourselves sometimes to try and not bother our friends too much. You probably learned a lot about Kuroi-sensei I bet."

"Quite a lot, like she told me a perverted joke afterwards," Konata revealed. Kagami and Tsukasa stopped dead in their discussion and turned towards Konata. They couldn't believe what they just heard. Their teacher told a dirty joke over the phone?

Kuroi: Oi, oi, oi Konata. You can't tell your friends everything about me now. There's some parts I don't want people to know.

Konata: Don't worry; you're with a girl who can appreciate filth.

Kuroi: I know some pretty awful things, you know. It could get a bit intense.

Konata: I surf the net, both English and Japanese sites.

Kuroi: Wow…never mind. You probably know some really nasty stuff. Wait, as an adult I shouldn't be praising this!

Konata: But I'm an adult too, legally. I know so many pickle jokes!


	9. Chapter 9:Akiba Pure, Part 1

Hidden Candy

Chapter 9: Akiba Pure, Part 1

_Author's Note: Everything that is seen or heard by Kuroi and Konata are based off of real events, footage, images, articles, and databases of Akihabara and even Ikebukuro. Enjoy!_

The train jumped, bumping everyone a bit off their seats and the floor they stood firmly on top of. Outside the window were only random specks of clouds across the clear sky but the closer the train sped to its destination, the more useless the sky became. Where Kuroi was going today had no use for natural elements of nature, the buildings seemed to grow in size the closer she came. The sun could only provide shadows. Konata had invited her to the kingdom of unusual human satisfaction and liveliness, the shopping center of otaku, the field of leaves, the Electric Town or Denki Gai, or simply just Akiba. A teacher would spend the afternoon there with her date, a miniature otaku student of her class serving as the city guide.

She calmly sat alone on the train, keeping near the doors so she could quickly retreat from the diversely strange crowd around her. When she had first boarded the train she instantly noticed dozens of illogically dressed people. She remembered from a conversation with Konata that these people were known as "Cosplayers". Kuroi found the idea of dressing up as one's own favorite character as childish. She couldn't imagine herself doing anything similar except for Halloween. As the crowds of these people grew larger she wished harder and harder for her arrival at the station where Konata awaited.

Much to her shock, a woman stepped on board with a rather casual outfit and a hand bag. Without warning she began to take off her clothes, bit by bit until there was nothing left but a bra and panties. She used this chance to fix her hair and apply make up. Kuroi watched with self-loathing interest, joining the men on the train who tried to watch discreetly. To everyone else, it was another reason to keep to one's own business and look away. The woman finished and opened her carry bag, pulling out a uniform. It looked as if she were about to board a plane as a stewardess than anything else. When she was finished slipping into the outfit, she buttoned herself and sat down peacefully. Kuroi couldn't approve of such open actions but at least the lady didn't bother anybody. But was this only a prelude for the rest of the afternoon?

The train finally came to a stop, tempting Kuroi to look up at the electronic sign in the cabin before the location was announced. It was Akihabara. Standing from her seat, she rushed for the door only to battle the crowds of cosplayers, large book bagged boys and excited girls with more carry bags. She didn't wish to wiggle through a sea of strangers so she took each step slowly and carefully, not rushing or shoving. She wished she could say the same about the people behind her.

When she was outside the train, she waited for them to leave and clear her a path just to walk. She looked around but didn't see Konata anywhere, perhaps the otaku was outside. Finding the stairs quickly, Kuroi could feel a moderate coolness pushing down on her but not to the point of needing anything extra to wear but just enough to suffer. It was like the day was saying "I could be warm but…I rather not."

Fortunately the train ride would be rewarded quickly. Days before the set date, the two got into what felt like an unusual topic proposed by Konata. They were driving home, first to Konata's house to drop her off and then Kuroi would shop for easy-to-fix dinners at the convenience store. Konata managed to easily interrupt the plans, signaling the incoming alteration with a mischievous grin. "Let's stop for ice cream."

"Ice cream? What are you, a kid?" Kuroi said, finding a point of Konata to tease about. Little did she know but the teenager took the comment to heart. No witty remark or the usual playful defense came from Konata. Kuroi wanted to apologize but she felt like the situation didn't call for it, if Konata couldn't handle a little teasing then they had a bigger problem to deal with. She continued on and found the perfect ice cream eatery on the corner of a nearby street. The two went in and ordered, it seemed like Konata's behavior had returned to normal but her eyes said there were thoughts still cooking. Kuroi could see it as she handed Konata her cone. She would deal with outside where they leaned against the railing, watching the townspeople walk by and the infrequent car slug by.

"What's going on Konata?" Kuroi sternly asked. "It's not like you to act so miserable after a bit of teasing."

"I'm not sad," Konata quickly said. "I was just thinking a bit."

"Geez, you had me worried! Think softer then. Even your little ahoge was leaning down a bit."

Konata found that amusing, licking her ice cream cone before explaining the problem. "I was just wondering how do you think I look? Am I attractive, physically?"

"What?" Kuroi said, mouth fallen in shock. She looked as if she were scared to the point of momentarily losing her soul to the heavens. Konata awaited an answer with a curious raised brow. It was impossible to tell if Konata was hoping for a specific answer or a general one. "You're really attractive Konata, you're cute and beautiful and full of colors. But I should be honest with you, you do look kinda childish."

"Childish?"

"You really look a bit too young to me. I do find it a bit unusual, not bad, but unusual. I would prefer you look slightly more mature, more adult."

"What would you like me to do?" Konata asked. Kuroi stopped licking her snack at the sound of the question. She stared off into the streets after leaning her vision to her, impressed Konata could take an honest opinion like that but it did leave her wondering if Konata was doing this as a pathetic attempt to keep Kuroi interested. "You don't have to change anything you know, it's not like I'll hate you or anything."

"I know, I just want to make you happy. Everyone has preferences right?" Konata asked. "As long as it isn't anything extreme, I wouldn't mind changing my appearance a bit."

"Really?" Kuroi asked, feeling a new comfort in being this honest with a person. Usually in a relationship she would have to hide what she thought sometimes. "Well, I would definitely love to see a different hairdo on you. You got a lot of beautiful hair to use anyway. Show me something amazing and new."

"I think I can work some out for you. But perhaps you can change something for me to."

"Sure, it's only fair," Kuroi said, stretching to give Konata better look. "What do you want to change about my appearance?"

Konata carefully examined the specimen, checking her memory for any thoughts related to this that might have bubbled into her brain during class. She reviewed Kuroi's attire and hair styles but to no avail. "No…you're hot the way you are," Konata resignedly confessed.

"I am beautiful, especially for my age!" Kuroi boasted, laughing victoriously.

Now on the day of their second date, Kuroi anticipated a new look for Konata but no matter the change it was simple finding Konata, she was more hair than body and whatever resembled a blue ghost standing in a crowd had to be her. Kuroi walked up to the girl, seeing her smile back at her as she ran up to the teacher. "You made it!" Konata called out, jogging to her teacher. Kuroi instantly noted the change, it wasn't what she had expected because she didn't dare imagine. Konata's new ponytail swung gently with every step.

Konata had tried putting her hair into one before but this time she started it near her neck and tied it with a bow at the base. Her side bangs were distanced more from her center bangs, revealing more of Konata's hidden forehead. Even the beige jacket was new to the woman. "Had an interesting train ride?" Konata asked.

"You're sick, you know that?" Kuroi replied with a chuckle, rubbing the girl's head. She reported everything she saw on the ride to the station and was more surprised Konata didn't flinch or react as much as she did to the news. "Is this all normal?" she asked.

"For Akiba, yep!" Konata said.

"Putting that aside for now, I have to admit I really like your new look," Kuroi said. "It looks great on you. And you look a bit different in a jacket."

"We've never met casually in the winter have we?" Konata noted, starting their walk into the center of the city. Before there was no reason to wear a jacket in front of her teacher, an unusual trivia the two discovered. "I should say something too," she continued. "I think you look very beautiful today too Nanako-chan."

"Thank you Konata," Kuroi softly said, turning a light red on her cheeks. The compliment had surprisingly touched her. Konata's flattery wasn't just believable with words, the teacher could catch a few wild glances at her from her student, most of them directed at her face or more bouncy assets. She was definitely an 18 year old but if a stranger spoke to her online her gender would be up for debate.

Within a few minutes they were deep in the heart of the city, surrounded by cosplayers, giggling girls, men of all ages, and most notable were the unusual gatherings and behavior that attracted onlookers and agitated bypassers. Konata pulled Kuroi to the front of a staged performance already at hand. Before them were several girls and boys dressed in brightly colored school uniforms, dancing in near perfect sync. "What are they doing? Are they getting paid for this?" Kuroi asked.

"Silly Nanako-chan, this is the spirit of otaku," Konata said. "They're dancing the Hare Hare Yukai but I have a feeling a bunch of people won't be happy about that anymore."

"Why not?"

"The studio that makes the anime this dance is based off of has ticked a lot of people off, their fanbase is crumbling quickly," Konata explained. "But I'm a sucker so I'm still sticking by them."

"Oi, oi. Don't go off giving some weird company all your money now," Kuroi noted. She returned to watching the dance, listening on the music from a radio that played along with the cosplayers. She couldn't deny it was interesting and a bit amazing to watch. There was an unnecessary concentration in each step and although most of the people were young, she spotted a few true adults about her age dancing away in the back. "I do this dance at work all the time," Konata said.

"What kind of weird dungeon do you work in?" Kuroi asked, not expecting Konata to dance or work. It was a well founded belief to her that Sojiro paid his daughter an allowance but a memory of Konata's materialistically crowded room contradicted that. "I work in a cosplay café," Said Konata. "I dress up just like these characters and sometimes the crowd wants us to dance."

"And you have fun?"

"Yep, or else I wouldn't do it. A cosplay café can be a bit demanding sometimes. You have to remain in character too or else there's no point."

"It seems you work a bit harder than I thought," Kuroi teased the girl, rubbing her head again from above. "But I've never been to a cosplay café before so I can't be sure."

"Don't worry, you will for lunch. You'll have tons of fun!"

Moving along after the dance ended, they continued forward with only Konata knowing their destination. Kuroi followed by her side, watching Konata's new styled bangs making tiny jumps with every step. Did they bother Konata's head? Probably not, she did have much larger bangs prior anyway. Unfortunately the silence created an unbalance in Konata. She couldn't be sure if Kuroi was having fun or not. "So, how was work today?" Konata asked.

"Why do you ask? You were there," Kuroi said, recovering from her strengthening trance.

"Oh, well, you seem a bit distracted," Konata noted. "Are you bored?"

"What? No! I was just…you know, looking at your hair. I really like what you did with it."

"You know, you say _you know_ a lot, you know?" Kuroi playfully pushed Konata for the tease; she never realized she said it that often. Konata almost fell over to the side, bouncing a few steps from Kuroi's strength. "Whoops, sorry. I forgot you were a light weight," Kuroi said, laughing behind her grin. "Guess that would make you easy to carry too and…never mind."

"What? Thought of something ecchi?"

"Quiet, blue ghost," Kuroi said, looking away. She could tell Konata was still smiling at her, making her own cheeriness hard to restrain. "Speaking of blue ghost," Konata said, "here's our first stop for the day!"

Konata stood in front of the entertainment and game center, waiting for a reaction from her girlfriend behind her. She heard nothing and turned around, only to see Kuroi staring at the street behind them. Konata peeked past the teacher's side to see a woman wildly spinning in circles on the street. Her random twirling ensured her a cleared area as she moved blindly around and people pretended to ignore her. "What's her problem?" Kuroi asked. "I hope she isn't expecting money for that."

"Who knows," Konata replied. "A lot of crazy stuff has happened here recently too like fires and stabbings, even truck accidents and exhibitionists."

"What?! Why are you bringing me to such a chaotic place?"

"Because you older women always carry a taser or mace, we'll at least be safe from crazy people," she calmly explained, "Now chop, chop. It's our first place of the day."

"Don't just generalize us older women," Kuroi said, tucking her mace deeper into her pocket. She followed Konata into the lit up arcade, it was much brighter and calmer than the late night one they went to on their first date. There was carpeting and a variety of machines to choose from. Glass encased games seduced the cute lovers with piles of untouched dolls and a mild, jazzy song played above them. In the back stood a row of pachinko machines, those brought back memories of Kuroi's high school years. "Whatcha wanna play first?" Konata asked, looking back at the bright eyed woman. Cocky pride curved onto Kuroi's lips. "How about some pachinko? Think you can beat the Serpent Nana?"

"Serpent Nana?" Konata asked, arriving at the machines' seats.

"It's my nickname from high school," Kuroi said, her eyes locked onto the machine. She looked near the coin slot to see a slot for tickets to come out. This was obviously a prize exchange parlor because no cash exchange center was around. They grabbed their throttles and launched the metal balls onto the field. Konata watched the screen attentively, keeping her questions about Kuroi's nickname in the back of her head. "So," she started. "How about whoever wins the most gets to request something of the loser?"

"Wouldn't be a date with you unless there's something to lose? Okay, I'm game squirt!"

"I may be small but my skill is massive!" Konata said, focusing her mental energy on the machine. Kuroi felt pumped, winning the first few already. Though it was a game of luck the two had their methods. Konata's luck-based style and ahoge possessing all her dreams and wishes aided her well in the game, quickly giving her the lead in minutes. Kuroi refused to go down so easily; she began using a second machine. Konata was in shock! The truly battle was on now.

"When this is over, maybe I'll make you do your little dance for me," Kuroi said, still staring at the screen. Konata already decided what she wanted, but she would wait for a victory. Twenty minutes had gone by and with their designated money for pachinko spent, they counted their tickets and then looked at each others'. "A draw…" Konata muttered.

"That's a shame, ah well, at least we went a little crazy," Kuroi said.

"No way, I have more to win than you," Konata said. "How about the crane machine? Whoever can get the most animals in five minutes wins. Same prize."

"The crane machine? Are you kidding? I used to play this all the time, you don't stand a chance," warned the blonde. She found a pair of machines filled halfway with a hill of dolls. Konata took hold of the joystick and watched the crane as a jingle played. Carefully finding the easiest prey to grip, her victory was quick. She held out her brown dog doll in victory before her opponent. Kuroi presented an orange furred fox. "Another draw huh?" Kuroi said. "You and I would have been going out in high school too I see."

"Let's see how the years have treated your touch," Konata taunted, slipping another coin in while Kuroi was looking at her. "Sneaky," she countered. "But let's not get too overboard with this."

Another twenty minutes later the floor around them was covered with mountains of dolls. "Another draw, I'm starting to think the devil is at play here," Konata said, cutting her eyes as they tried to hold both of their shares. "I guess we should give these away."

Walking outside, they began passing out the dolls to whoever wanted them. At first there was natural suspicion but the schoolgirls and boys with their dates wishing to not look bad at the crane picked them up. It only took a short time for the piles of stuffed animals to vanish. Konata looked over at Kuroi and handed her the brown dog. "I was saving this one for you. I know it kinda looks like a horse but it's a dog for sure."

"Thanks, I saved the cute fox for you too," Kuroi said. "It actually looks like a fox. And it matches. Both personality and appeal."

Konata happily wrapped her hands around the rather life-sized fox and pressed it gently against her chest. The small gift made her face flush, something she hadn't yet showed to her friends. Kuroi sensed a warmth through the exchange, she wanted to hold the dog close to her too. Its legs were sticking straight out as if it were paralyzed but so were his triangle shaped ears. Something about it was special, was it because Konata gave it to her? The prizes were easy to get and probably made somewhere for less than a dollar but she couldn't resist pulling it towards her. Bundled with a soft feel, she made it her memento of the date. "Enjoying it aren't we?" Konata smugly asked. A flash of dark red zipped across Kuroi's face, making her wrap the dog with her arm and keep it on her side. "You were enjoying that fox just as much. You really are high school girl!"

"I can't deny that. Thanks."

"Yeah…thank you. Oh!" They still had their tickets. Why waste them when they could exchange them for prizes? Kuroi made doubly sure to scan the area for cash exchange centers but there was none in sight. She would have to deal with material goods instead. Konata guided her to the shop in the corner of the arcade, taking her inside the bright room filled with dolls, toys, and trinkets on every shelf on every wall. She instantly noticed the tags underneath each item and saw that the higher the ticket price, the larger the prize.

"We only have enough for a few small prizes and one good prize," Konata said. "I wish there were point cards for this place. I'm a loyal customer after all."

Kuroi popped her head in delight. "I know what I'm getting."

"Great, let's go to the counter," Konata said. The clerk turned around and asked for their tickets. He gently slid them into a machine that counted them up and printed out a small receipt for them. Konata pointed at what she wanted, choosing a red bandana, a flash drive, and a set of bright colored buttons. "What an unusual selection," Kuroi said. "What's all that stuff for?"

"The red bandana is for your dog, the flash drive is for my image stash of CG on my computer and the colored buttons are for my fox," Konata explained. "I'm going to take its eyes out and replace them with bright green buttons."

"Why?"

"Because that's the color of your eyes," Konata said.

"Damn it!" Kuroi whispered to herself, turning her reddening face away from the girl. "She's been doing this for the past hour with no mercy! My face is going to burn up!"

She rubbed her arm against her face and walked up to the counter once the heat died down. Handing the clerk her receipt, she pointed at one of the good prizes, a yellow furred fox that matched Konata's except it had a much glossier coat and was actually supposed to be a kyuubi. Its numerous tails must have either been forgotten or never meant to be. "And this is for you," Kuroi said, popping it into Konata's hand. "Another fox, give it green eyes too so I can have one that's supposed to be you."

"Wow…that's really good Nanako-chan," Konata softly said. "It's a wonderful gift for all kinds of reasons. I can't wait until you I can give it back to you with green eyes."

"Wait…something ain't right here," Kuroi said, watching the girl's bubbly expression shift into malignant pride. The tides of war had drastically changed, Kuroi felt like she lost some distant battle. "Konata?"

"Although you will get it back later, I currently have more dolls than you do," Konata gloated. "I'm the winner! My request must be considered!"

"Crap! I forgot about that! Give me the fox back."

"Nope."

"What do you want?" Kuroi asked, remembering the clerk beside them. She nudged her head towards the door, signaling to Konata that they should take this outside. Leaving the warm borders of the interior, they returned to the cool air outside among the fleeting crowds. Kuroi turned to Konata, wondering what the request would be. "So, what is it? A kiss? An embarrassing question?"

"Nope. That was my first thoughts though so good guess," Konata said. "But I rather get those through natural progression and leveling up. Remember how you pushed me earlier and said I was light weighted?"

"Y-yeah," Kuroi stuttered. She also remembered the perverted thought she had when she said that. Konata was remembering it too. "I want you to carry me to our next destination!"

"W-what?! That's crazy!"

"Are you calling me fat Nanako-chan?" Konata devilishly asked. "If you refuse I'll call you my mother and embarrass you in front of these strangers."

"_She is a devil!"_ Kuroi thought to herself. Nonetheless she was beaten. Konata offered her options, she could carry her bride-style or piggyback. Kuroi reviewed how her back was doing and preferred to do it that way. She turned her back towards Konata and bent down. "Alright, get on."

"Yipee!" Konata squealed, not caring for the cliché. "Onwards Nanako-chan! To the Yuri-Rose café!"

"And how far is that?"

"Oh, a few blocks…plus a few more."

"This is it, my life ends here," Kuroi groaned, marching through the crowds. She realized either way she was going to be embarrassed, either being called someone's mother or being seen holding a small girl on her back. Unfortunately Konata was still confused for her child through the onlookers' attempts to justify the situation. "I'm still being called your mom!"

"Here, have some of my hair against your neck," Konata said, whisking it to the front of her head and down Kuroi's face. "That does feel good," Kuroi said, finding a bit more strength to carry out the task. She could feel Konata's racing heart against her back, she'd let this incident slide this time. Being this close to Konata gave her a warmth no bones or body could ever understand.

The next train to Akihabara drifted into the station. Hiyori stepped off, taking a deep breath for the wonderful day ahead. Behind her a green haired woman wearing glasses walked past her with whispers and a focused look in her eyes. "Where would Konata and Kuroi be?" she muttered to herself.

"Isn't that Konata's cousin?" Hiyori asked. Her mind clicked! "Did she say Konata and Kuroi were here?! In this kingdom of madness?!" Her day just got better."

Kuroi: Konata, I have one quick question.

Konata: Mmmmm, yes?

Kuroi: Has anyone ever seen your teeth?

Konata: My teeth, that's a bit odd to ask. But…I suppose not.

Kuroi: Do you have teeth?

Konata There's no reason to doubt!


	10. Chapter 10:Akiba Pure,Finale

Hidden Candy

Chapter 10: Akiba Pure, Finale

"Finally…" Kuroi groaned, stopping in her tracks. She patted Konata's behind to tell her she was going to let go of her. Without hesitation, she removed her hands from under the girl and let her slide down back onto the ground. The piggyback ride had come to an end; they were in front of the Yuri-Rose, a flower scented, stone building where cologne came to dance. Bakery aromas and warmed love leaked out into the air in front of the café. Kuroi wiped her forehead and let out a "Phew!"

"I'm surprised you're not dead tired and worn out," Konata said, coming to check on her teacher's face. Kuroi stood tall, as fine and invigorated as when she met up with Konata at the station. "I may be older but I'm not unfit. I have a very healthy life style despite my bad diet and lack of exercise."

"Wow, that's a real insult to people who seriously try to be fit." Konata noted. "I wasn't too heavy for you was I?"

"No, actually. Either I still have my high school muscle or you need to eat more."

"I'm an otaku, I eat too much already," Konata said. "My Wii makes sure I don't lose my curvy figure."

Kuroi stood still, having to use little effort at first. Then it began to build up in the seconds, the force erupting in her neck, than her mouth. Her cheeks were blown up. Konata noticed her trembling a little. "Nanako-chan? Are you-"

Kuroi burst into laughter. "What figure? Are you serious?!"

"What figure? Flat is a figure," Konata debated, drumming her no-inch chest. She believed her legs and overall colorful beauty made up for that anyway. Kuroi quickly apologized and reminded Konata she was beautiful, rubbing Konata on the back as they entered the café. She was too occupied with the joke to notice the sign. It welcomed all women to enjoy a true entourage of gentleman and elegant service-through women dressed and fashioned as men.

When they entered Kuroi had to take a step back when the black suited, white shirted and viciously tall women approached the couple. Their hair style matched visual kei bands more than regular men, mostly with bangs covering half their faces and poofy hair that somehow seemed conditioned to keep its unusual form. The interior was rather dark but in a gentle manner with dark brown tables at a length prepared for parties and bars decorated with a marble-like blackness in the counter and floor. It truly isolated itself from the remainder of the establishment which seemed more fit a restaurant than anything else.

Kuroi held no issue with the service; she just wanted to know if what she was looking at was a man or woman. Konata whispered the explanation after ordering a table in the corner. They followed a tall but womanly attendant wearing glasses like an aged British tutor. Their table was a lovely, embroidery cloth topped piece with an array of freshly watered plants attached to the wall. They were handed their menus which possessed lovely written orders. They started off with their drinks, humoring the "Steward" who proceeding to leave ambiguously flirtatious statements at their ears. Kuroi suspected it was part of the job and admired the effort the business placed into the image.

"This place is really great," Kuroi said, poking her head around towards every sight. "It's really fancy and clean. And the stewards are nice; they actually look like men sometimes."

"I heard about it on a television show so I thought it would be great to check it out," Konata said, still looking up and down the menu. "I might bring Kagami and the others here one day to see how they'll react. They were surprised to see me in a cosplay café."

"You know," Kuroi started.

"You said _you know_ again, you know." Konata playfully replied. Kuroi sided up a smile; amused Konata was getting her for that but what she had to ask didn't match the mood. "Konata, you seem to only have female friends at school right? You probably had a crush on one of them but…what I want to know," she started. "When exactly did you realize you like girls?"

"Oh, the second I went into high school, probably the summer before that," Konata said, perked up to talk about. The unrestraint in her words really spoke of serenity, she was obviously happy about her change in orientation. "But that doesn't mean I don't like men, I just prefer women a lot more."

"So you're bisexual? This place is perfect for you then," Kuroi said friskily. The steward came up to them, smoothly placing down their glasses and preparing their drinks before them. Kuroi understood more now than ever, they were also paying for a show. Once their drinks were poured in from a foot above, they ordered the lunch and were once again left to spend time with each other as the stewardess collected their menus. "Does your dad know?" Kuroi asked Konata.

"He knows, he's actually happy that I prefer women," she shyly said, laughing at the weird truth behind her father's suspicion of boys. "How much does it say for men if they even suspect their own gender to such a degree? But how about you Nanako-chan? When did you start liking women?"

"Well…it started in high school for me too. I was playing at one of the arcades and-"

"And Pac Man had just been released globally!" Konata spurted.

"I'm not that old!" Kuroi fussed. "As I was saying, I was breaking a record for Ms. Pac Man, but she was already old when I was young so there. I had spent a lot of time on the machine so a crowd was cheering me on. My boyfriend at the time was feeding me as I played and when I finally won, I grabbed him by the waist and smooched him up. But he was always so skinny and wimpy so I guess I was kind of using him."

"I'm starting to fall in love more and more," Konata said. She didn't know Kuroi was such a dominant person; she hid it well behind her fierce yet helpful teacher personality. Either way, Konata won. "So what happened?"

"Well…since he was so skinny I couldn't tell it was actually a girl until it was too late," Kuroi said. "But I began feeling her hips and everything else and it really got me going. After that, I dumped my boyfriend and went to women. My parents were mad when they found out and we argued a lot after that but I guess they tolerate it. I promised them grandchildren but that doesn't seem too likely anyway."

"I guess I should be happy my dad is so accepting," Konata said, putting a finger to her mouth. She tilted her head a bit at her teacher afterwards, noticing she wanted to say more. She suspected the relationship between Kuroi and her parents wasn't too strong.

"I don't think that's the word for it," noted the blonde. "But I'm glad you didn't have to go through what I went through. My mom and dad acted so weird about it, they thought I was diseased or something. I started smoking back then too and doing all kinds of bad stuff."

"Naughty stuff?" Konata hummed.

"No, not at all. I was a punk but I was a dignified punk. Few were ever worthy to touch me." Kuroi carefully explained. "But I did get one guy who really earned my respect. And this one girl who was a bit crazy sometimes but then she would switch to delicate-mode late at night. Oh! I shouldn't be telling you all this."

"Why not? It's not like I don't know about any of it," Konata said.

"Yeah…but…you've dated at least one person before me right?" Kuroi asked.

"Nope! You're my first!" Konata cheered. Her teacher grew silent. She began to look to the side, somewhere else besides where Konata was sitting. It had never occurred to her that Konata might have never dated anyone else. She knew better but perhaps she forgot to consider that. Kuroi noticed the cautious look from Konata and realized she was ruining the mood. She quickly let out a nervous laugh and put the troublesome thoughts behind her. "So, let me ask you another question," Kuroi said. "But this one's a bit serious so if you don't want to talk about it I'll understand. I rather we have fun today then-"

"It's okay. Ask whatever you want."

"Okay. It's about your mother," Kuroi started, watching Konata's reactions. She remained surprisingly calm. No matter what, Kuroi had to know soon. The question was scratching at the back of her head too much to be ignored anymore. "Konata, you've actually never known your mother…so I guess you might feel like you never had one, right?"

"Sometimes but I learned a lot about her so I can imagine," Konata explained. "Why? Did you know her in high school? Did you two…date?!"

"No! Stop with the crazy assumptions. I was just wondering, ever since you said that you liked me despite being so much younger than me…do you think you might be using me as a replacement for your mother?" Kuroi asked. Konata tilted her head again, as if she were struck by an age-old question whose only answer was a paradox in the end. "To be honest, it is a bit weird," Konata said. "I don't really see you that way. I am kind of hoping my dad marries somebody and we've talked about it but I guess with my cousin Yui, that part of me is full. I like you for who you are, my sexy teacher."

"So Yui already serves as your mom huh?" Kuroi muttered to herself. She felt relief from the news. She wasn't ready to be a pseudo mother in a pseudo relationship. Hopefully she would remember the motherly role Yui played if they were to meet today. She would later curse those thoughts, wondering if they somehow magically brought Yui to Akihabara.

"I wonder where they went?" Yui muttered to herself, holding her chin as she scanned the perimeter. She stood, legs diagonal, in the middle of a crowded street searching mostly for a blue blob of hair and a yellow bun hair style next to it. Hiyori carefully kept a distance from the cop, feeling a natural opposition towards her. She couldn't explain it but it felt as if her kind wasn't too welcomed by the law. Still, it was Konata's cousin so she would play nice but she had to protect her fellow otaku as well. Hiyori soon noticed Yui had moved and ran to the officer's most recent spot in the streets, panicking to catch another sight of the green haired woman. Her feet tapped to the sides as she searched every angle of her vision; soon she began to spin slowly. "There she is!" she whispered to herself. Leaking through the crowds, she kept at least a measurement of five people between them. She wasn't certain if Yui might remember her from one of her few visits to the Izumi house.

Yui kept a sneaking pace, ensuring she gave every spot and location a good review for the missing duo. Her chest pounded with excitement when she spotted the long, blue wave of hair heading away from the Yuri-Rose café. There was someone beside the short girl but the crowds ate away at any clear vision. Yui began her hunt. Reflexively, she reached for a gun but realized that she didn't have one, she was in casual clothing. Then she realized shooting someone wouldn't solve the problem. She began to speed up her steps, eyes sharpened onto the suspects. Though still half a block away from her grasp, she could already feel their shoulders in her hands. She started walking faster, faster, until she was only a wall of people away. "Oof!!" Hiyori grunted, falling to the ground backwards.

Yui nearly fell back too but kept a good foot to the ground and merely stepped back from the scene. The two had bumped into each other, but Yui felt as if the teenager had just jolted into her from the side like a car reversing out of a hidden driveway. Around her were doujinshi and small toys scattered across the ground. Hiyori thanked the gods the figures were safe in their boxes. Yui knelt down and assisted with the clean up. "I'm sorry, you really surprised me but I guess I was a bit too focused myself."

"It's okay," Hiyori said, smiling like she met the love of her life through coincidence. Her plan had succeeded. Earlier she decided to mist herself into the crowd, keeping up with Yui's growing pace until she could dash into her. Hopefully Kuroi and Konata could use this time wisely to lose themselves in the scrambled people of Akihabara. "Darn it," Yui mumbled. Hiyori gave herself a mental thumbs up, the plan worked! Yui helped Hiyori back onto her feet, unknowingly inspiring a magical process in the otaku's head.

"_Wait, this is good material,"_ Hiyori thought to herself. _"A cop falling in love with an otaku teenager and the otaku uses the cop for doujin plot! I wonder how good a pairing Yui and I would make?"_

"Where's the next stop?" Kuroi excitedly asked. She kept her brown dog doll tucked away in her jacket's inner pocket, tempted to pet it before getting an answer from Konata but her secrets remained sealed. The best part about bringing a newbie to Akihabara was seeing their reactions and she was definitely curious of what Kuroi would think of a cosplay dance club. "I can hear music," Kuroi said as Konata guided her by hand down the stairs of a light blue building. A variety of posters stuck to the wall, declaring discounts and sales long past. Old vegetables seemed to plague the scents of the staircase but she knew that wasn't the source. There was something bodily about this smell. When the two reached the door, Konata swung it open with anticipation. Inside were cosplayers dancing in a small bar-like room and Kuroi instantly recognized one of the costumes. "Hey, that's Pikachu!"

"What to pull the tail?" Konata asked.

"What? That's rude. Besides, this place smells funny. Do otaku bathe?" Kuroi asked, pinching her nose in defense. Konata reassured her they do but noted that a rotten apple can stink up the bunch, especially in costumes while dancing erratically or nonsensically like many of the people today. "I really wanted to see your reaction," Konata said, shutting the door and taking Kuroi back up the stairs. "But it does smell bad today, maybe some other time. Do you like dancing?"

"Are you kidding? I love dancing!"

Konata rubbed the back of her head, realizing she had never been to a club or even danced normally in her entire life. "Well, I don't really know any good places to go."

"That's okay, when it's my turn to control this date we can dance all we want at some places I know," Kuroi informed. She felt great about their plan, to split the date into two segments, one for Konata to organize and one for her. She found herself thrilled to see a new side to Konata; she could hardly imagine the girl dancing at all. "Next place!" Konata cheered on. The two had already exited the building and simply walked down the street to a store cluttered with figures, books, CDs, handheld devices and trinkets on every inch of the walls and shelves. Kuroi was awe struck by the sheer volume of merchandise laid out for the customer. "This is my world," Konata introduced. "Come; see if there's anything you want to buy me."

"Woohoo," Kuroi sarcastically remarked, taking it all in stride. Konata took her first to the gallery of figures carefully posed and placed in glass cases. She could admire the artwork, these definitely held more detail than regular figures and the reflected light from the cases made her curious enough to look into Konata's eyes. They were unexpectedly large and lost in a glowing attraction to the products. Kuroi first feared it might be an expression of obsession to buy everything but the calmness swimming with the shines in those green lanterns made her realize it was simple amazement. In a way, the otaku lifestyle was very artistic and focused. Perhaps Konata represented what was right about it.

They moved on, examining dozens of toys and novels. Konata then noticed a newly released manga and grabbed it. As she skimmed through the pages Kuroi picked up a random book herself and flipped through the pages. It was page five when she noticed censor bars, ropes, tears and little girls without any clothing. She quickly snapped it shut and peeked at what Konata was reading. She sighed in relief; it was some sort of magical battle manga. "You know, I used to read a lot of manga myself when I was younger," Kuroi said, finding a good ol' faithful copy of Slam Dunk. She was about 17 when it first came out and it almost inspired her to join the basketball team. Konata asked if she read Yu Yu Hakusho or Dragonball Z but Kuroi shook her head. She wasn't into magical manga like that but she did prefer something manly and rugged like Fist of the North Star. Konata asked about Berserk, pulling out a copy from the rack. "No way," Kuroi said, staring with disgusted curiosity and the graphic scenes inside. "Normal stuff, that's what I read."

"Do you still read manga?"

"Not really, I guess it just slipped away from me…unlike smoking." Kuroi grunted. She loathed her younger self for picking up the filthy habit. It was the main reason she had to stop buying manga, the cigarettes were too expensive. She confessed to Konata that sometimes she would shoplift a bit but tried to keep it limited. With all the retrospection, she realized at full blast she wasn't exactly a good girl in high school. "I'm glad I changed though," Kuroi said, returning the manga to the shelf. "Sometimes a person can have too much fun and I regret doing some of those reckless things when I was younger."

"You don't have to feel bad about it," Konata said. "You can learn from your mistakes and it helped make you the person you are today. At least you didn't get caught."

"Well, there is one mistake I kinda regret," Kuroi said, smiling. "But you'll discover that way later."

"What is it?"

Kuroi petted her head and walked into a different section. "You'll know one day little one, one day. A mistake I can never rid myself of but you might like it."

"Tell me!" Konata playfully whined, swinging Kuroi's arm as the teacher walked off. "Nope, it's better to see than to hear about it."

"Fine."

The two continued their exploration of the store, finding the music section to be their next port for entertainment. Naturally there was nothing but anime songs, soundtracks and famous voice actors' music. Konata searched through a playlist of songs on a computer screen attached to rather large headphones. She perked her ears up to the tunes from one of her favorite OSTs. "Here, tell me what you think of this," Konata said, packing the headphones onto her teacher's head. Kuroi stood silent, waiting for the music to pick up. Suddenly a snap of thrilling excitement pulsed through her eyes, lighting them up like a match in the dark. She had never, ever heard a song quite like the one playing now. She found it utterly amazing.

"You like it huh?" Konata rhetorically asked. Kuroi took the headphones off and stared at them in her hand. "What is this song?"

"It's from one of my favorite soundtracks. It's usually just called Row Row Fight the Power."

"I want this."

"Let me just check the computer to see if they have any in…oh, whoops. They're all out," Konata said.

"What?! But I love that song."

"You only just heard it, you didn't even finish it. But we can ask the cashier if they might have some hidden around," Konata suggested, walking over to the counter. Kuroi began singing to herself, easily remembering the manly lyrics filled with a rough, unbendable spirit. "Sorry, we're all out," the man said. Kuroi whimpered.

"It's okay, I can lend you my copy," Konata said. "I have three of them anyway."

"Give me one," Kuroi said.

"I guess I could but I usually like to keep three copies for various reasons."

"Fine, but I'll be holding onto it for a long time." Kuroi quickly replied. That was fine with Konata, she was glad that Kuroi could enjoy a part of her interests. She would make sure to try her best to embrace her teacher's loves in life as well. In the mean time a drill on a necklace would have to do. Konata purchased it and wrapped it around Kuroi's neck, having to tippy toe to an extreme extent just to do so. "Thanks Konata, this is really great."

"It's really just a drill on a thick string," Konata blushingly said, finding the gratitude soothingly pleasant. Kuroi warmly smiled and held onto Konata's hand, she really did learn a lot about the girl today and the world she lives in. Her own world wasn't as interesting and diverse as the anime obsessed paradise otaku found themselves in but she liked the simpler things in life anyway. She couldn't wait to see Konata dance with her at one of the clubs she went to with Yui. Kuroi happily began to hum Row Row Fight the Power to herself when she almost choked on her spit at a familiar alarming sight. "Konata!" she called out.

"What's wrong?!"

"Y-y-yui's here!" Kuroi said, pointing the officer out in the short distance. "Crap, we gotta get out of here! Run!"

"Wait, let me lead! I know this city a lot better than you," Konata said, gripping tightly onto the blonde's hand. They began to move quickly through the crowd which caught the officer's attention. She saw what she wanted, a blue blob and blonde bun. Yui couldn't catch their faces but she began the chase. Hiyori tried to follow but her carry bag slowed her down. "I've done all I can sempai…"

"I wonder if she's close," Kuroi said, beginning to look behind her.

"Don't look back! She'll see our faces!" Konata warned, navigating and squeezing past by passers. This presented a dreadfully twisted temptation to the teacher. She wanted to look back to make sure they weren't in danger of being caught but if she did Yui might see them. This entire situation was sending warm shivers through her bones. "We can catch a train at the next station; it leaves in about ten minutes. We're only three blocks away!" Konara explained. Kuroi nodded, trusting Konata's experience and navigational ability. Yui easily slicked past people, only getting caught in clusters a few times. She didn't gain any closer reach to the couple but she was able to keep them in her sight. "Alright, zig zag time!" Konata said, catching Kuroi off guard.

Konata caught a series of openings in the crowds ahead and began drastically taking sharp turns through them, running in a zig zag. "This is so ridiculous!" Kuroi muttered, almost looking back again. They soon saw the station and ran in, buying their tickets and not asking for change. They raced down the steps, hearing pacing footsteps come to a halt behind them. Yui was buying a ticket too. They ran for the train and Yui followed in pursuit. They boarded the train and Konata warned Kuroi not to show her face to the entrance they just came through. After walking sideways a bit-giving Yui more time to get them-they began running through the cars.

Yui was close; she was only a full car away from them. Then the doors began to close, the couple would be trapped on a train with Yui hunting them down like animals. Konata had an idea but it would be risky. "Nanako-chan, follow me," she ordered. The two ran for the closing train doors, it was too late, Kuroi felt a tug at her sleeve. Yui ran to the car they were on but felt her victory slip away from her grasp. They were nowhere to be seen. Kuroi and Konata panted heavily behind one of the train station's pillars. Kuroi managed to get her sleeve caught in the closing doors but pulled it out just in time. They had made it. "Okay, no time for relaxing. We have to board the next train and you have to drop me off home so…" She paused.

Before she thought of continuing her sentence she looked at Kuroi, wondering if she knew where this conversation was heading. Kuroi caught a few more breaths before placing a hand on Konata's shoulder. "It's okay, let's end the date here. You need to go home so she doesn't think anything is suspicious. Text your father to tell him to cover us."

"Got it." Konata said, explaining the situation to her dad through a series of messages. The couple began to head out and look for the original train station they used to arrive. No doubt Yui might just wait for them at the destination she would end up. Once they made it to the station, they bought their tickets and took a heavy seat down, still panting from the chase they barely escaped. "I have to admit," Kuroi started. "That was really exciting and fun."

"Yeah, I can't believe we made it. I guess you really are as young as you feel," Konata said, stealing herself a chuckle. "Hey now, I told you I'm fit," Kuroi countered. "But you were really impressive back there, managing to stay calm and plan so far ahead. Good job."

Redness attacked Konata's face. "Thanks, it really wasn't anything special."

So ended their second date. They arrived at their stop, deciding to part ways there. "Well, I hope you had fun today despite the early end," Konata said.

"Konata, I had more fun than I've ever had. Especially because it was with you," Kuroi said, giving off a heart warming smile and gaze back at the girl. "I learned a lot about you and I hope you could learn a lot from me."

"Heh heh, this is a lot like our first date huh? Ending with all this fluffiness," Konata nervously said, cheeks swelling into apples. Her feet couldn't stop moving about on the floor, her legs began to sway her side to side as she twiddle her fingers behind her back. Kuroi wasn't as obvious with her matching emotions, any shaking converting into heart racing. She began to glow a creamy red as she gazed into Konata's eyes, surprising the teen. "It is a lot like our first date," Kuroi said. "Except this time I didn't let myself get carried away, you just managed to sweeten me up regardless of my defenses and showed me a great time. And I can't recall a better day in my life. So…hold still."

Those words wanted to make her to step back, Konata had a feeling what might occur. She knew she would love it but that didn't settle how nervous it made it her feel. Kuroi stepped closer until her eyes were almost directly above Konata's. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around the petite girl and pulled her in for a locking kiss, feeling blue hair rest against her face. Konata felt like she was being lifted, physically and spiritually. There was something about this kiss that made it phenomenal, and she was wrapping her arms around it right now. Konata was clearly a bit dazed afterwards, carrying an entranced expression on her face. "My first kiss."

"Hope ya liked it," Kuroi said, chuckling. She poked the tip of Konata's nose with hers before letting go. "Let's do this again real soon, okay Konata?"

"Any time you want Nanako."

"Aha! I caught you!" a voice suddenly called out. The two snapped their eyes towards the train, seeing a girl run up to them. "Hiyori!" Konata called out. "You scared me!"

"No time for that, can you two do that again?" Hiyori sharply asked.

"I'm going home now," Kuroi said, heading towards the stairs.

"Wait! I really need some material right now with this whole teenager and adult relationship!" Hiyori pleaded. Konata dropped her palm on her companion's shoulder. "It's alright; I'll tell you all about our date at my house."

The "Oi" Hour

Kuroi: Oi, Konata. When we kissed, did your ahoge move?

Konata: Yep, it moves when I'm excited.

Kuroi: Oi, that ain't right.

Konata: And when you excite me the "right" way, it erects.

Kuroi: Oi, oi, oi!!


	11. Chapter 11:Recover and Retell

Hidden Candy

Chapter 11: Recover and Retell

Konata decided she might as well start on her homework before she forgets, pulling her notebook out of her handbag living beneath her bed. She felt an odd sense of guilt not doing Kuroi's assigned homework now, like never playing the videogame your friend bought you and having to make up some lie when they found it unopened. For the first time in years determination to complete her assignments filled her hand and flowed through her pen. "This is it! The spirit of love manifested through my works, powered by the falling stars!"

"Hello little cousin!" Yui excitedly squealed, coming in after the sound of Konata's door banging open. The otaku flinched and dropped her pencil, picking it back up from the side of her leg as Yui dropped a cushion for herself across the small table. "Whatcha doing?"

"Homework," Konata said. She returned to her work, realizing how odd this must seem to the officer. Right after her friends, Yui knew most how the young girl did her homework-barely and if so, it was copied. Konata would defend her foul deeds by spouting nonsense of how she learned from others' works, only to match that opinion with low test scores. Hopefully now she could at least put some effort into her grades for Kuroi. As expected though, Yui caught onto the sudden change. "Don't you just copy your homework?" she asked. "Why so early?"

"Why so serious?" Konata darkly muttered. "I'm sorry; you set me up for it."

"I kinda did huh?" Yui chuckled, trying to act normal despite her investigative intentions boiling lightly in the back of her head. She had waited at the train station for Konata and Kuroi to arrive, thinking of what she would say and do. Somehow they never arrived, perhaps they took a different train, she considered. If so then the hour she spent waiting for their arrival only managed to give them plenty of time to return home on a different route. The door then opened behind her. "Oh, hello Yui," Hiyori said, carrying a tray of cookies and tea into the room. Yui grabbed another cushion for the girl, setting her next to Konata. The casual _thanks_ and _no problem_ between them added to the first name calling. Hiyori had been to the Izumi house several times and spoke with Konata's cousin on a few occasions, on the first she was told to call her simply _Yui_. But no matter how nice she was her career was a determent to Kuroi and Konata's relationship at the moment, something that created an invisible around Hiyori and Konata in that room.

"So, what are you here for today?" Yui asked.

"Sounds like you're asking me what crime I committed," Hiyori nervously teased, knowing full well what situation was dwelling in the room. She decided to support Konata on this and for the sake of new material she had to work extra hard to protect her. The onslaught of questions would soon fly from Yui's mouth. They had to brace themselves to lie. "So what have you been doing so far today?" the officer started, almost reaching for a nonexistent notepad.

The lies had to remain at minimum. Konata already discussed with Kuroi what they had to say if asked so anything else was up to her as long as it didn't involve Kuroi. "I went to Akihabara, got me two foxes. Want to see?"

"Foxes? You mean dolls right? Anyway, did you go with anyone?" Yui asked, forgetting the animal part of the discussion. "I think I saw you there."

"I was with Hiyori," Konata said, nodding her head towards her friend. She held the fox dolls by their scruffs and gently tapped them onto the table. Their eyes had yet to be replaced by buttons that matched Konata's and Kuroi's eyes but she decided dyed beads would suit them well instead. "What were you doing in Akihabara? Did you get me something?"

"Not really, I just got off the wrong stop and spotted you," Yui said, trying to end her story but Konata asked her where she originally was planning to stop. The train to Akihabara seemed out of the way to any of Yui's usual stops. As an adult, Yui could come up with several suitable lies that couldn't be investigated by her cousin. The circumstances, however, didn't make it feel the least bit proper. She hated lying to family but the case had to continue, now to turn this situation in her favor. "I was meeting up with a friend. Her daughter was involved with a teacher in a relationship so we had to talk her out of it before something bad happened. A teacher isn't a proper relationship to start with in high school."

"I agree," Konata said. "That's more suited for the fantasy world of simulation."

"I'm glad you agree," Yui said. "I couldn't imagine what would happen if we caught Nanako doing something like that. She might just lose her job."

Hiyori watched the exchange of words closely, interpreting the messages masked behind them. Yui had actually admitted she knew what was going on and that she actually went out of her way to figure it out, Konata understood and tried to make it obvious that she knows what is going on as well. Now a threat was being presented to the otaku, what would she say?

Konata kept a blank face, leaking a smile onto it. "Yeah but Kuroi's a really nice person or else we wouldn't be able to trust her with our trips and everything. Besides, if she ever got caught they'd go easy on her and she'd get her job back in a snap, just like that other teacher who was an actual pervert."

"You can't always be sure about some people," Yui said, taking the nonchalant attack by Konata. This time her rebuttle was ineffective and meaningless against Konata's presentation of evidence for her deep trust in Kuroi. "As a cop, I can only tell you to be careful. Some teachers are getting a little frisky. I'm talking to you too Hiyori."

"No need to worry about me, I'm a bit into cops right now," the fangirl said in a dreamy daze. Yui's work was finished here and at the moment, she was feeling a slight darkness oozing from Hiyori. She thought it best to leave now before anything arose. "Well, I really just came over to say hi, Konata. I'll see you later."

"Sure thing cousin Yui, come back anytime and play some games with me!"

"Will do."

Hiyori was about to discuss what just happened but Konata placed a finger over her friend's lips. Knowing Yui, she might have pretended to leave and placed an ear next to their door in hopes of juicy secrets being spilled in feigned privacy. Konata returned to her homework, knowing the sound of pencils would tell Yui to leave. It was a success. Konata left her room once the front door shut, peaked out the living room window and watched Yui's car leave the driveway, heading out into the narrow roads of the alleyway. "How did it go?" Sojiro asked, standing behind his daughter with high hopes for good news.

"It went good. She knows but she doesn't have anything to use against us," Konata reported. "The cover story worked and she's probably headed over to Nanako's now."

"You still have to tell me about the date," Hiyori said with anticipation. Sojiro joined in the cheers too, wishing to hear what happened. Any other time Konata would deny him the privilege but since she was dating a _teacher_ telling him what happened could put any doubts he had at ease. They gathered at the table in front of the television; ready to hear a romantic story great enough to make Konata blush before even talking about it. Organizing her thoughts, she mentally laid out the date before telling her tale. She anticipated repeating it at school the following week.

"I admit, even I was blown away," Konata humbly said, but Kagami could only perceive it as relentless boasting. The entire school day consisted of Miyuki, Tsukasa, and her being called _maidens, virgins_, or even _noobs_ by the freshly kissed girl. Lunch time-a release from the note passing that further bragged about the date during class-was consumed by Konata's story. "And that was my weekend, my pure doves." Konata ended, the retelling of the romantic day in Akihabara finally came to an end halfway into their meal. "So, what do you guys think?"

"I think you're out of your mind," Kagami muttered, showing her anger through vicious chomps on her shrimp.

Tsukasa tossed aside her flustered bashfulness and asked "How was the kiss?"

"Yes, I want to hear more about it," Miyuki said.

"Well…it would be cruel to keep it from you." Konata smugly replied. "But I'll only tell you if that little piggy asks me."

Kagami could feel the smaller-than-average finger pointing directly at her, she didn't have to look. Tsukasa and Miyuki watched their defensive friend painfully glance back at them, their eyes brimmed with hope. The attack grew too powerful to block. "T-there's no way I'm going to ask that! It's not like I even care!" Kagami fussed.

"So be it, no one will know," Konata quickly explained. She scooted comfortably into her chair and returned to her lunch, which had grown cooler from the lack of attention. Tsukasa and Miyuki's jaws dropped. It was like hearing their parents having a divorce. Snapping their faces of pleading eyes and half opened mouths towards Kagami, they cried out "Kagami!"

"Please ask her!" Tsukasa begged.

"Please! I wish to hear about the kiss." Miyuki had to make an effort to sound politely in her pleas. As far as she was concerned, this was an excellent opportunity to be educated in romance. A first kiss was one of her biggest worries, mostly the mechanics of it. Her mind jumped with questions for Konata. Kagami felt a rare, desperate pressure emitted onto her. But what struck her bones the most was Konata's cocky grin in the shadows of her friends, another diabolical plan succeeded. "Don't turn them against me!"

"Just ask the question, a few words can't hurt ya. I know you want to hear it just as badly," Konata said. With a stretched growl and red face the pig tailed girl hit the table with her closed hands and said, "Konata, please tell us about your kiss!"

"Okay, okay. If you're going to beg so much."

"Don't mess with me you little brat…" Kagami murmured. But once Konata started, she was as lured and attentive as her sister, watching with bright eyes that wished for a fantasy ending lit by kiddy movies and romance novels. "We got off the train and I was a bit nervous, I knew what was going to happen." Her friends zoomed in, gripping tightly onto their chopsticks. "She started talking about how great the date was and how no matter the defenses I managed to make her feel great and happy. Then she told me to hold still."

"What next? What next?!" Tsukasa panicked.

"Well, she moved so close to me her eyes were glowing over mine like a hungry serpent," Kagami rolled her eyes at that remark. "And then she pulled me in and held me close. There was no escape, like an iron maiden. We locked lips and I felt like I was ascending to a higher plane with her hair resting on my head as the breeze," Konata sweetly described. Tsukasa and Miyuki began to melt into ecstasy, the kiss was just right. Kagami raised a brow. "Wait a minute, like an iron maiden? That's a pretty violent description."

"No escape yet…you could trust her," Miyuki said. Tsukasa could only repeat what she heard, too excited and lost to make anything up, "Locked in her arms, eye to eye."

"Go ahead Kagami, melt before me like all the others," Konata invited, seducing the poor girl to erode away at her own personal shield. A simple rejection from the tsundere and she moved on her way, not wanting to act like Tsukasa and Miyuki until she got home and was absolutely certain she was alone. Konata continued once the others settled. "But I think…the best part, besides the fantastic kiss, was that it was Nanako. It really made me feel…I don't know. Can't really describe it."

"Well try harder," ordered Kagami.

"Oh, excited are we?"

"S-shut up! You would have forced me to ask again anyway."

"Well…I guess it was like, we were opening up to each other a bit more. Like we were getting closer to each other's…it's kind of embarrassing."

"Just say it."

"Our souls."

Kagami didn't want to ruin the mood but she had to say something, from the vivid description Konata gave her and the sweetened expression on her face she began to believe the otaku was losing herself to that moment. "Konata, you might just be overreacting a tad bit. You probably got excited because it was your first kiss and besides, I'm sure you get all jittery when it's in a forbidden relationship like yours."

"That isn't true," Konata crisply denied. "I may not look it but I can take things very maturely. The kiss was great and I felt great about it, what's the problem?"

"I wonder if Kuroi was as magically inclined to lose herself like you did," Kagami said. "She was the one to admit she let herself loose on your first date…getting lost in the magic because she been so lonely for so long. I just don't want you rushing into something or assuming things because the kiss seemed mystical or something. She's probably kissed a dozen people a hundred times, it could just be normal for her. While you're over here, drugged out on love."

Konata didn't know how to react to that; the first thought in her head was whether or not Kagami was actually serious about what she just said, it managed to slip a bit of doubt into her head. For now the playful route would be best, it was the only route she could find. "Jealous are we?"

"Don't try and change the subject. I'm just warning you not to get too crazy about this," Kagami sharply countered. "I don't know if Kuroi-sensei would feel the same way you did. Just ask her or something."

"That's kinda harsh Kagami…but, I guess you're just looking out for me. Thanks," Konata reluctantly answered back. Kagami wasn't trying to hurt her; she knew that despite her initials thoughts. Reflecting on the situation, she decided trust her best friend who seemed to keep a watchful eye for her when Konata couldn't keep one on herself. "I will take your opinion with complete respect and understanding."

"No need to be so formal…" She returned to drinking her soda through a straw, turning to the window to separate her mind from the scene. _"Maybe I was a bit harsh though…"_

"Konata!" Kuroi called out, poking out from the classroom door. She motioned her hand for Konata to come to her into the hallway. Konata nodded and excused herself from the table where Tsukasa and Miyuki began chatting away about the same topic that possessed their minds ever since their friend told them about it-the kiss worth a thousand tales. Kagami watched-with pocky in mouth- as that same friend returned to the teacher's side. _"I always have your back Konata. You're too crazy for most people."_ She sighed. "I should have said that to her…"

Once Konata was in the hallway, Kuroi shut the door and looked around for any enemies. The coast was clear. "So Konata, I was thinking that later this week I could take you out to a club I know," she started, speaking with the anticipation and hope for matched eagerness as when an otaku convinces their friends to go to a convention with them. "I really want to see you dance."

"I'll go but I'm not much of a dancer. Usually I just do the dance at work but that's more of a performance type," Konata warned, not too confident the idea was good. She wanted to refuse at first but knew it would make Kuroi happy if she went anyway. "Not much of a dancer? That's half the fun," Kuroi said, talking with a mouth wide enough to pop out her fang.

"What's the other half of the fun?" Konata curiously asked, tilting her head in innocence. Kuroi instantly froze, folding her arms before she looked out to her side. A small, watermelon redness soothed itself onto her face. "You know…being with you."

"I knew it! And how great was our kiss?" Konata happily asked.

"It was really great, why is there a problem?"

"It's just that, for me…well, it was really a whole other experience. I really felt connected to you for that split moment, I wished it would never end but then…we couldn't do dirtier stuff."

"Way to perverse and old saying," Kuroi muttered.

"I didn't even feel like I was in this world anymore, it was just the two of us. Did you feel the same way? I know you've kissed a lot of people before me so it might be different for you."

"Well, don't say a _lot_. You make me sound like a pros…never mind. Anyway, it's true I've kissed my fair share of people but that doesn't make it any less special. In fact, the more you kiss you quicker you learn it's about the person you're kissing rather than actually kissing."

"That's exactly what I was saying."

"But your lips were sweet and it felt wonderful Konata." Kuroi knew she was letting too much slip from her mouth, she planned not to let all of her emotions run amuck but Konata needed reassuring. Doubt in a relationship was difficult, she knew that the most. "I definitely felt similar to you, probably just a bit less. Besides, a kiss can vary between couples. You're small and your lips are shaped differently, it definitely felt unique."

Konata placed a hand on her chest and sighed. "That's good. Kagami was warning me not to get too excited anyway, I just really wanted to know how you felt. So, you'll pick me up when?"

"About eight, call me so I can come when Yui isn't around. Make it later this week okay, my paycheck doesn't come until Thursday night," Kuroi said.

"Friday night it is but if I don't mind paying for some things. Oh, before I forget," Konata abruptly said as she pulled out a CD case from behind her. From where, no one knew. Kuroi stuck her hand out the closer Konata placed it towards her. "It's the Gurren Lagann soundtrack. It has the song you liked at the anime hobby store."

"Oh, thanks. I'll be sure to return it soon."

"Oh, don't worry. I'm sure I can depend on you," Konata said. "Fufufufu."

"What's up with that menacing laughter?"

"Plan complete. Don't you worry my sweet Nanako, everything is set for a brighter future," Konata said. The tone in her voice could only be perceived as ominous. After the teen returned to the classroom Kuroi checked the sky through a window to make certain no foreshadowing storm clouds were flying in. It was clear.

The week drifted casually, Kuroi's anticipation for Friday night leaked into her conversations with Konata during lunch, she would bring up memories of her more lively days at the clubs during high school and the girls who felt lucky enough to dance with her. Konata began to empathized with her friends whenever she discussed nonsensical otaku business, now Kuroi's clubbing business jumbled her ruthlessly. She survived, enjoying the youthful spirit embedded into Kuroi every time dancing was brought up. While listening she could review the improvements the week had provided for their relationship and herself.

Konata discussed with Kagami, Tsukasa, and Miyuki that she would limit her lunch time with Kuroi to twice every school week especially since she was able to see her during weekends anyway. And with talk of dancing at a night club Konata reluctantly resorted to the equivalent of dealing with the devil. "Um….Dad?" she reluctantly asked, resigning to whatever grim fate lied before her. Sojiro muted his television, wanting her to know she had his full attention. "What is it Konata? Something wrong?"

"Did you and mom ever…go to a night club?"

"Night club? Your mother did like to take me to those places a few times, it was our deal. I take her to my hobby stores and conventions; she'd take me to a few clubs and parties. Why do you ask? Is Kuroi taking you to a club?"

"This Friday."

"Wondering how the night scene works Konata?"

"I know about that, Kuroi told me everything. It's just…the dancing." Konata could see it, the sudden drop in his face. Everything dropped, his eyes, his jaw, somehow his hair followed down as well. He realized what she was asking, his daughter, his pride and joy and pinnacle of cuteness was asking for dance lessons. "I would be glad to teach you."

"Huh?! That's not what I was asking," Konata quickly said, biting the problem before it things grew weird and glued to her memory. "It's true I can't dance too well but I was wondering if you probably had some videos of mom dancing at clubs or even at the wedding."

"Oh…sorry, our wedding dancing was purely ballroom. Sorry Konata," he said, dreams crushed. Konata picked up on the mood and decided to make one sensible deal to cheer up. "But before I get married maybe you can teach me ballroom dancing. I wouldn't mind doing that with you."

"That's perfect! I can't wait! Don't be shy about marrying anytime soon if it's a girl. If it's a boy-"

"Yeah, I know. Wait a decade," Konata said, backing off from the crazed scene she provoked. Before Friday hit she had watched several videos of people dancing and trying her best to recall what occurred at cosplay cafes she had seen. She locked her door before practicing whatever moves she observed, sometimes falling back or hitting a random figurine. "This is hopeless, I'll just rely on my womanly charm." Yui was an excellent option, she used to go to clubs all the time in her youth but the situation didn't call for her. If she were asked about dancing lessons the officer would ask back why Konata was preparing for a night club anyway. It would only raise suspicion.

Friday jumped into her laps, a dog waking up its master from a peaceful slumber. She spent the entire school day imagining what she would do, even considering blending in some anime dance moves into whatever she planned. The Hare Hare Yukai didn't seem too bad if she stood still or maybe the Kannagi opening sequence would suffice. "Nah, this a performance type," she muttered. Supposedly taking notes in class, Konata's papers consisted only of suggestions for that night's event; there was no way she could ever compare to Kuroi's years of experience.

"Gah!" she screamed during lunch, ruffling her hair into a tumbleweed. "I'm not ready for tonight's date. I can't dance."

"Yeah, your anime dances wouldn't work in reality," Kagami noted, remembering the first time she saw Konata working at the cosplay café. That flashback etched itself into her mind. Her thoughts were only interrupted when Konata suddenly asked if they ever danced before with a sullen face saved for desperate times. Miyuki and Kagami shook their heads, offering their sympathy in return. Tsukasa raised her hand slowly, noticing she was alone. "I've danced at a club before."

"Bweguh?!" Konata screamed out. "Tsukasa?! You?!"

"Yeah, I don't even know about this!" Kagami snapped. "When did you ever go to a club?"

"Remember a few years ago I got lost on my way to the supermarket?" Tsukasa asked Kagami. It was her first time ever shopping for dinner and she never really explored the town on her own. She relied on Kagami to lead the way, never absorbing the path into thought for later recollection. The panic overwhelmed her as she searched the town for any signs of a supermarket, constantly making up an excuse in her head to tell her family when she returned home late. In desperate need of a break from the hour walk, she found an unusual building with loud music letting people in and out. "I thought it was an arcade," she told everybody at the desk. "People were coming out with drinks and food so I thought I could just get some water."

Entering the building, she could see people dancing all over the place. There were drinks being served and Tsukasa quietly squeaked to the stewardess that she wanted something a glass of water. She was told to head to the bar. "Wait a minute," Kagami interrupted, "what were you doing in a bar? Why did they allow you in?"

"Don't you remember? That's how I met Yui-san." Tsukasa explained. She ordered a glass of water at the bar, hoping to get it quickly before the unusual, unshaven man staring at her could come any closer, undoubtedly twice her age and height. She knew this place wasn't an arcade the second she walked in, she just wanted a drink. As soon as she paid for her drink and pulled the glass of water towards her his wild flirtations began. At first he spoke sweetly to her and her attempts to tell him she was simply drinking and leaving didn't faze him. Tsukasa decided to brush him off and ignore him, wishing she could be like her sister and fuss at him to leave her alone.

Not taking the hint, he began to smile and pull her to the dance floor. "All I want is just a little dance from a cutie, only for a few minutes," he playfully said. "Okay, okay. But then I want to leave," she nervously said. And so she danced, following what the older women around her doing. Occasional gaps in the crowd gave her sight of other girls her age dancing with much older men as well. "Something's wrong…" she muttered to herself. She no longer wanted the glass of water, she wanted to escape. Waiting for the next gap to form, she ran from the man only to feel his hand wrap around her wrist. "Let me go!" she cried out, swinging her arm down as hard as she could. She began running towards the exit when she bumped into a woman's chest.

"Everyone stop!" the woman screamed, aiming a gun at the crowd. "This is a raid!"

"That man was making me dance with him!" Tsukasa exclaimed, pointing at him from the distance. Suddenly multiple cops came barging into the place with clubs in hand and SWAT armor on. The female officer bent down and held the middle school student's shoulder's, "Did he make you do anything else?" she asked. "Are you hurt?"

"No…" Tsukasa said, eyes watering. "I just wanted some water and he pulled me onto the dance floor. I didn't want to dance. I just wanted to buy dinner at the supermarket. My family is depending on me."

"It's okay, it's okay. My name's Yui Izumi, I'll take you back home okay?" the officer said, giving a friendly smile to the confused girl. "But…I need to buy dinner," Tsukasa pleaded.

"Okay, okay. I'll take you to the supermarket first okay? Then I'll take you back home. What's your name?"

"Tsukasa Hiiragi."

"Hiiragi? That's a pretty name; you know mine's going to change soon. I just got engaged. Like my ring?" The ring shimmered in the sunset light. The gem atop was a bit small but Yui said it only made it more meaningful. "It's very pretty," Tsukasa said, finding an easing feeling in the change of conversation. Yui held her hand, taking the small girl into the passenger seat of her police car. Kagami soon recalled the aftermath, Tsukasa was dropped off home and Yui explained the club was actually a brothel for underage girls, feigning a typical bar scene littered with middle school and even high school girls. Apparently the workers found out about it and reported it to the police, the evidence soon soared in as Yui went undercover a week before the raid, finding a disgusting sight waiting inside. Tsukasa was forever grateful for the rescue, not knowing how she would have handled the possible end.

"Way to down the mood," Konata said. "The dancing doesn't even seem important now."

"I'm sorry," Tsukasa said, chuckling at how her story diverged from helping Konata with dancing to reminiscing about a chaotic trip to the supermarket. "It's okay, I guess I can see now why Yui worries about Nanako and me, she's probably seen a lot of ugly things during her job," Konata quietly said, no longer finding her cousin's snooping behavior troublesome. Rather, she felt blessed she had someone willing to do so much for her. "Unfortunately the deception must continue!"

"Oh my, but are you okay Tsukasa?" Miyuki asked.

"I'm fine. I'm just glad Yui-san could save me."

"That's Yui for you. It makes me feel bad for hiding my relationship from Kuroi with her but the consequences are too wild," added Konata. "I'm more worried about Tsukasa now. Kagami, you better keep an eye on her. I can't be around to save her from every attacker."

"That was a foreigner asking for help!" Kagami fussed. "And you roundhouse kicked him!"

"A hero is a hero, no matter the technique!"

"The technique isn't the point of the argument! And why do you get to be called a hero?"

Konata turned to Tsukasa and asked, "So, can you show me some dance moves?" Tsukasa happily agreed though she knew she'd be a bit nervous at first. The two walked away to the side of the classroom, beginning the unusual lesson in hopes that no one else would walk into the room and catch them. Kagami sat closer to the desk, ignoring the fact that Konata brushed her aside and instead joining Miyuki in watching the show. "We really are lucky aren't we?" she asked. "This circle of friends and family helping each other out."

"It's why graduation will hurt so much," Miyuki said. "It's even possible that Konata and Kuroi will get married by the time we see each other after it."

"I don't know," Kagami said. "That image of them being married, it sets off a bad feeling in my head like something bad might happen. There's definitely something missing between them, something not keeping them together."

"And is that why you're protecting Konata? Making sure she doesn't get too excited?"

"Yeah, she's bound to get hurt and I don't want to see her like that," she calmly replied, watching as Tsukasa began getting into the mood and dancing surprisingly well. Konata's attempts to mimic end up with more hip shaking than anything else and her arms flailed wildly, giving the image of a blue mop top having a seizure. "Wait! You just got me to admit I was protecting Konata!" Kagami loudly whispered to Miyuki, who held her cheek and chuckled, almost in a victorious manner. "Indeed I did, I suppose."

Kagami gasped in horror. "Evil Miyuki?!"

Yui: Now that you know some of my back story, let me arrest you!

Kuroi: No way! I can survive until graduation, then everything is legal.

Yui: I didn't want to do this but our police department has hired the best detectives in Japan to solve this case.

Kuro: What?!

Yui: That's right; we got L, Conan, and Neuro on the job! And if that doesn't work, we'll use Negima!

Kuroi: He has more students after him than anybody!!

**Author's Note: I might change the Yui/Tsukasa story a bit, it seems a bit too grave but the gist of it is Yui's seen some bad things and is most likely not going to change her view on adults with extremely younger people in their teens. At the same time I don't want Yui to be considered irritating, she's really just looking out for her cousin so I had to show a good side to her. A brothel might had been a tad too much though.**

I would appreciate any comments about it, I really had no idea what to do with the end of the chapter. Okay, this is all that's been done so far. I'm working on the next few chapters so enjoy these 6 I've given you for now.


	12. Chapter 12:Uncertainty and Certainty

Hidden Candy

Chapter 12: Uncertainty and Certainty

Konata waited in her room, dressed for tonight's date at the club. Stars were beginning to flicker into the dimming black screen of night and she already ate dinner seeing as how it was eight by the time Yui left the house from her untimely visit. It could only be theorized that since it was payday for her and Kuroi that this was actually their drinking night together, Kuroi must have cancelled and left a lingering suspicion and irritating loneliness in her officer friend. Yui looked at the clock and believed even Sojiro wouldn't let his daughter out this late, figuring it safe to cease her watch over her cousin for the night. And it was true, as a father he had to set a curfew for his daughter-a curfew he stretched out to 11 after Konata's relentless insistence over the past few days.

With the cop out of the house Konata changed into her late night attire, an outfit she had difficulty finding through her cast of casual clothes. She realized a huge difference between her and Kuroi, the type of appeal they served. Konata saw herself as a cute girl but she perceived her girlfriend as a flat out sexy woman. Lolis didn't belong in night clubs, especially one of her combined size and age. Frustration at the lack of proper clothes made her accidentally skip over the only outfit that would fit perfectly. She decided to wear a stylish pink shirt with a star on the stomach and yellow stripes on the short sleeves, underneath it an elbow-reach dark pink shirt. Knee high black pants would do, encircled by an unusual skirt-like clothing that looked more like a jacket wrapped around her waist than anything else, an inside out jacket in fact.

_*Konata actually wears this outfit in a picture where she and Hiyori are reading yuri doujinshi in a room covered with more yuri goods. Just for reference, there's a link in profile of the picture._

A single green wristband was added for safe measure. She decided to place her faith in her choice of clothes and filled up a small bag with special items from her room, all necessary for her grand plan, the one the Gurren Lagann OST set up. The second and final step would be complete tonight after the club. After packing she called Kuroi and gave her the okay to pick her up. Only a few minutes past before Kuroi knocked on their front door. "So fast!" Konata noted. She barely turned her computer on before the teacher came over, forcing her to shut it down right there. Konata always hated doing things while she waited to go somewhere else; any activity was doomed to be abruptly interrupted.

Closing her door, she hung her small bag around her shoulder and went straight for the door, waving Yutaka and her father good night. "So, what's the curfew?" Kuroi asked, finding Sojiro clearing the way for Konata to pass. "It's 11 but that doesn't mean she has to be back home by then."

"What, then how's that a curfew?" Kuroi asked. He simply grinned and laughed sickly. Konata revealed her grand plan to him hours before, seeking his approval. With trust and faith in his daughter, he allowed it. "Have fun you two," he said, failing to hide the squeals in his laughter. Konata closed the front door behind her and noticed Kuroi's eyes roaming up and down over a fanged grin. It was the first time she was aware of being completely scanned over by the woman, it startled her. Did she not like Konata's choice in clothes?

"You look really good in that," Kuroi said, "I was wondering what you might wear tonight. Your clothes always seem so lazy and casual." She headed down the steps first and towards the car, continuing the conversation as they walked. "I know tonight we're doing something that's not your thing so I just want you to know I really appreciate it."

Lightly struck with red across the cheeks, Konata was speechless. Her body reflexively guided her to the passenger seat and got her to hook up the seatbelt. The statement seemed bold despite its simplicity, she really felt a sense of appreciation. "It's nothing really," she said, regaining her composure, even then the previous anxieties were difficult to withhold. She hid off her nervousness with a quirky smile; it helped narrow the wild path of her words and thoughts. "After all…you went to Akiba with me. Besides, I want to see the kinds of things you like. Anything's worth seeing you in super sexy mode too."

"You think this is super sexy?" Kuroi judgingly asked, waving her hand past her locked together short, red jacket and the long, black pants covering her ankles. Konata found the red high heels extremely attractive.

"Yep! But I know there's a bonus mode after that, so I'll take my time and reach that level. Or I'll just cheat."

Kuroi started the car and reversed into the alley, "And how do you plan to cheat?"

"Ripping off my clothes and seducing you with my bare form," Konata causally replied. Kuroi chuckled, speeding up at the yellow light. She told her petite girlfriend to give it her best shot. The drive lasted about twenty minutes; the city was far off from their suburban neighborhood, especially the night life portion. Konata decided it would be best to turn on the car radio and figure out what kind of music Kuroi listened to. "Pop?"

Switching through the stations Kuroi set as her favorites, Konata found mostly pop and songs most likely booming at a rave. It was interesting, Konata thought, at the least. There was a blend of light rock-nothing heavy or chaotic; it all really seemed like party music meant to send bolts to your feet. "I like your taste in music, nothing I'd listened to though." Konata noted, answering the questioning glance from her driver. "It's pretty obvious you like to party."

"Yeah, it is isn't it?" Kuroi warmly said, stopping at a red light. They had arrived in the city, the destination still blocks away. Konata left the radio at a rather jazzy and techno song as she pressed the CD drive to see if anything came out. "Now what if I had something private in there?" Kuroi asked.

"I'm sorry, just exploring a little bit."

"It's alright; all my secret stuff is at home."

The two laughed at the same time but Kuroi never noticed the maniacal tone in Konata's or the "_oh really?_" she muttered with devilish eagerness. As they continued navigating through the city, Konata let loose her hair, watching it hatch from the organized bangs and ponytail she kept it in. Kuroi caught glimpse of the club and found a parking garage just down the street. Driving through the tower, Konata's heart began to throb more and more with every passing overhead light, the club was only a block away. The two stepped out of the car once a spot to park was found, adding final adjustments to their looks. Konata ran her fingers through her hair, making sure not a single knot formed while Kuroi simply unbuttoned her jacket, revealing her rather noticeable bust and even some cleavage. Was this a reward for Konata going to the club? The stares from the green eyed otaku shone with focus and young lust. "What a bust!"

"You don't have to say it like that," Kuroi said with a sigh, quickly showering herself with Konata's stares. She span around, letting the girl get a good look, revealing a ponytail to replace the usually bun. An arm was raised just to give the girl a profile of her body, it had been a while since Kuroi was ogled-and when she was young she was always ogled. It was times like these Konata wished she had a photographic memory. "Alright, enough showboating. You can see more when we dance," Kuroi said, pulling her purse further up her shoulder. _"Ah irony. I've been the one seduced, and she didn't even have to take her clothes off," _Konata told herself, remembering the comparison she made to herself and her teacher earlier. They truly had two different appeals, she just wondered if being cute could lead to being sexy like the woman next to her. For the first time in a while, she truly felt like someone was out of her league but those concerns were placed on hold for the moment, tonight they would burn on the dance floor. Her main worry now was whether or not she could keep up.

The club was called "Shooting Star" and there was no bouncer in front, checking people in and out like in shows and movies. Obviously Kuroi picked out a nice place for casual customers though Konata was positive her well endowed girlfriend would have gotten approval anyway. She was disappointed though, that she wouldn't be able to encounter a bouncer in its natural habitat, she had such schemes to get past them. The two walked up to a skinny guy wearing a red vest-obviously lacking any power to physically stop anyone. He only asked for IDs whenever the age of someone was questionable. Naturally Konata had to be stopped but this time he felt confident she was underage. "I'm sorry little girl, this is place is only open for adults."

"Oh no, she's 18," Kuroi said, "Show them your ID."

"Here ya go," Konata said, handing it to his disbelieving eyes. Suspicious it was a fake; he couldn't argue with hard evidence and reluctantly allowed her entrance. Opening wider than the front door, the hallways were quite spacious, spacious enough to hold benches on the sides of the walls and even bathrooms. The actual main room was only a few more yards away and it seemed like a lobby preceded it, a lobby where several couples found it comfortable enough to make out in the corners and against the walls. "Good thing you brought your ID, that would have been trouble back there."

"I was kinda assuming we were going to one of those clubs where big bouncers tell you to go away if you're not hot, so it was pure coincidence," Konata explained. "I guess I wasn't sexy enough huh?"

"What?" Kuroi stopped in her tracks and looked at the girl as if she were crazy. "Aren't men going crazy for you?"

"You really think that? I look like a kid don't I? I only attract lolicon and you."

"I don't know what that is but you're plenty sexy Konata. You're too stuck on one genre of sexiness, you're more like a beautiful sexy with your pretty green eyes and long….well, you know how you look!"

Kuroi knew she was never too good at completely giving out full compliments, not in normal situations. She usually ended up starting with a few good words and stopping but her nervousness to do so again tonight was a good sign. All her serious relationships made her like that. "O-okay," Konata said with surprise, stuck in a passing trance of flattery and boosted confidence. "That…really makes me happy to hear you say that. I'm definitely a lot more confident. I honestly never thought I would have this kind of problem, I've seen you in the bath before but..."

"Well…cheer up, ya know? You're a very lucky and beautiful girl; you have little to worry about personality or body-wise. Now are you ready to have some fun?"

"Yeah! Let's take on the dance floor!" Konata cheered. The looks reflected from the few surrounding people made it seem like a mother-daughter moment more than anything else. Leaving the room quickly, the couple was blasted with loud music that matched what played on the car radio, a techno and highly upbeat tune blasting into the ears of the customers. Heading off to the dance floor first, Konata was pulled back. Kuroi wanted to get a table first and let her get use to the atmosphere, maybe watch others dance first. The gesture was appreciated and accepted eagerly. A table was just cleaned off and prepared for them.

It was rather small but still comfortable, a hard black table hugged in a cozy booth. Standing in the center was a lit candle providing the only source of light besides the gentle neon hues emitting from the floor and sparse light from the roof. Most of the booths were distant from the actual crowd of dancers so even the music toned down in volume from where they sat, making conversation possible which Kuroi believed would lighten any anxieties Konata might have.

A menu was handed out to them rather quickly, listing drinks and small meals for them to order. Kuroi chose a light beer while Konata's only option was a soda. It only took a few minutes for the orders to come back in physical form, clearly the service and design of the club was top notch, it definitely helped give the newbie a chance to immerse herself into the air of the party and music. Kuroi took a small sip of her beer. "Any chance of you getting tipsy tonight?" Konata playfully asked, playing from experience.

"Nope, not tonight. I'm not a drunkard anyway, that's only on Fridays when I hang out with Yui. Any other time I'm a casual drinker," Kuroi cheerfully explained, taking another sip.

"Are you sure this is okay? Letting Yui stay at home tonight while you go out with me?"

"Don't worry, I told her we could hang out tomorrow." She could feel a sting of guilt for changing plans with Yui now, breaking the tradition they held together for nearly a year so far. She tried to forget about it until Konata brought it up, but was it wrong to want to spend the most exciting night of the week not getting phased out? "I rather be with you Konata, having good fun with my girlfriend. Yui understands we can reschedule, though I should probably treat her to a good meal to add to the apology tomorrow. Heck, I'll even be the designated driver."

"You're a good friend," Konata said.

"Aren't I? So, how you feeling about dancing now?" Kuroi asked, seeing Konata's glass half full. The blue haired girl looked at the new world across from her, the easy sweating that came with the motion, the floor humming with every beat of the song and the little space scattered about the crowd. This really wasn't a place for her but she nodded and slid out of her seat, standing alongside Kuroi who grabbed her hand and guided her through the crowd to find a nice spot with at least some decent elbow room. Despite the help, Konata stood still, looking around aimlessly.

Kuroi took the initiative and began slowly moving her hips from side to side, catching the otaku's attention. Konata would feel guilty if-after all her girlfriend's efforts to melt her into the scene-she didn't at least try. She began to rock her hips gently, kicking the speed up when she received a smile back from her teacher. Swinging too hard and nearly falling to the side, she instead bumped into somebody and apologized. Kuroi wanted to laugh but she held it in, instead deciding to poke her eyes towards other female dancers, telling Konata to watch them. Within a minute, Konata felt like she grasped what was needed, she chose to simply let loose and forget every video she watched in preparation for this night. At first she began stomping and sliding around, at times it was rather theatrical but Kuroi's warm, _Try something different you look a bit stupid _smile swung her into the right direction. Suddenly she felt released from whatever imaginary chains that held her back before, combining the experience she had at her cosplay café with the moves she did before Kuroi tonight.

Konata's luscious hair painted the air it flew through, a cerulean wave quickly swinging and flying by beautifully with gathered strands bouncing and moving gracefully. People moved about her but she kept her distance, sticking close to Kuroi as she turned her head to the side, closed her eyes and raised her arms into the air, letting whatever fleeting feeling she would have move and bend them. Kuroi paid close attention, admiring the heightening allure of watching Konata lose herself in a dance, managing to memorize her teacher with every slip of wrist or shake of the hair. The twist in her feet, her smooth skin glistening in the passing lights were beginning to entice Kuroi. Only a few minutes flashed by in the blur of emotions before she felt her self control slipping.

There was always the occasional mistake in her step but Konata recovered, no longer caring for how she looked. For a split second, she opened her eyes as she was about to turn to her left, catching Kuroi's gaze. It was enough to make her stop, she couldn't make out the emotion playing out on the older woman's face, those cooled green eyes were calm yet lost, her dance slowed and mouth partially opened, closing into a pleased arc. "So…heh…how am I doing so far? Not really my thing but-"

"I'm glad you let your hair down Konata," Kuroi pleasantly said, inching closer to Konata, making the girl retreat a step back. Her eyes never left from Konata's, not even to look at the hair she slowly slid her hand through. A quiet flame was burning in her eyes. "You look really good when you dance."

She wrapped her arms around Konata until she could close her hands around the petite girl's lower back, pulling her closer until Konata's surprised and quick gasp at breath reached the cliff at her chest. Ignoring the eye level contact with her girlfriend's chest, Konata looked upwards into the towering woman staring back at her. "Nanako?"

"Can't help it." Kuroi happily said, starting another dance session, this time with Konata only a head turn away. "Never realized how short you were, you barely reach my chest."

"That's just for convenience," said Konata playfully, relaxing her body near her teacher, letting herself soften in the two arms around her. She placed her hands loosely around Kuroi, dancing slower than before. Frequently her face would touch Kuroi's chest, her stomach _plushing _against her thighs. "You're really cute," the older woman said with a voice that melted from her lips, catching herself dropping speed in her movement too. The tempo, the sight of Konata dancing, the green eyes reaching for hers and holding the petite girl as she carefully danced in her arms added to the throbbing pace and warmth building up inside her. _"I'm really losing to her, this cute little girl."_

Konata's cheek bumped into her breast again. "Konata," she tiredly whispered, attracting those emerald eyes back to her. "I'm losing it a bit."

"Losing what?"

"Control."

"Losing control? Nana-"

She kept quiet once Kuroi placed a warm hand on the teenager's cheek, using her other hand to pull her in like the first time they kissed at the train station. The silent flames glowed from the blonde's eyes preparing to close and come closer, Konata replied with a quiet wish to be tugged further in, bringing her legs onto Kuroi's. Nothing needed to be said, it was clear and simple. This time, surrounded by people, bodies jumping with music as the floor quaked beneath them, the two stuck in a unique situation and lightly sweaty from dancing with a lust to move sprung by the world around-they gazed into each other and met at the lips. Kuroi could feel those funny shaped lips around hers, gliding about her own. A nervous tremble in Konata kept hidden vanished, cooked away in the moment. The kiss exhilarated her, made her heart leap but also settled her nerves from every new occurrence or change in the club-ultimately calming but moving.

Kuroi took her lips back by only an inch, opening her eyes to see Konata doing the same, closing her lips and then letting them slowly open again. The two just looked back without a word and kissed again, not knowing where this would lead them. "This is fun," Konata drunkenly said, giggling like a drug addict more than anything. "You caught me off guard Nanako."

"You look really nice when you dance like that," Kuroi replied as if she were the first to ever say it amongst a crowd. Nothing else popped into her head, she was still recovering from the flash she just experienced. In retrospect, she knew it wasn't anything bad, simply an emotional kiss with her girlfriend but that second she lost herself bothered her. "Let's…keep dancing okay?"

"Sure." The two moved back but still remained near enough to feel the other's hair brush them with every turn. Kuroi wasn't as energetic as she was when they started, focusing on her thoughts more than her movements. She admitted to herself, "I lost a little control over myself" but justified it with "She was just too cute, that's not wrong." Promising to not go too far, she picked up her dancing and continued throughout the early night with the otaku who began to absorb the music into her body. Kuroi resisted the urge to grab Konata again, wishing not to come on too strongly but the blue haired girl acted as the initiator the second time with her hands clamping onto the back of her teacher.

A sense of relief and pleasure splashed onto Kuroi as she willingly accepted the gesture, kissing her more every hour. Time flew through the melting pot of pecks and swings when Kuroi finally checked her cellphone for the time. "Looks like our time's up, it's about 10."

"Do we have to leave yet?" Konata asked, still holding onto her girlfriend.

"We don't have to but…"

"How about if we leave now I can make a special request?"

"Special request? Fine, no matter what it is it's all depends on if I say yes or no," Kuroi happily countered, feeling the small arms slip off her body. The two walked off the center floor and found the exit. The couples that were making out in the lobby had left but were shortly replaced with more, the sight reminded her of the gentle passion she shared with Kuroi a short time ago and she chuckled perversely again. "So, did you have fun?" Kuroi asked as they returned to the night. Konata thought the answer was pretty obvious.

"We sure did kiss a lot; I can't stop feeling sweet all over."

"Yeah, we really did. You were the one making me lose control." The blonde countered, walking up the parking garage with her keys jingling between her fingers. Konata pecked her teacher's arm with her head and said, "I'm really confident now, I'm just so sexy I'll take you to another world of pleasure."

Kuroi spotted her car and unlocked it as Konata flew to the other side, hopping into the passenger's seat while her teacher watched, waiting to ask what the special request was. Konata grinned, humming to herself an evil _dun dun duunn!_ "Can I sleep over at your house tonight?"

"What? Sleep over? Are you crazy?"

"What's wrong with sleeping over? I'm dying to return to your fortress and sleep in your bed."

The car started, already set to head back to the Izumi house to drop Konata off. "Don't you think it's a bit too soon to do that kind of stuff?"

"I'm not saying anything about sex," Konata said, actually meaning it which managed to surprise herself too. Kuroi didn't know why else she would want to stay at her house then but awaited some unusual answer that would only make sense to the teenager attempting to sway her determination. "I just want to be with you."

"Crap…" the woman said, never expecting such a sweetly performed rebuttal to actually move her opinion about. "When you say it like that it sounds good but…wait, is that why you brought that small bag?"

Konata pulled it up from the floor and flashed the insides to her; it resembled simply a bundle of plastic cases and fabric. It was actually two sets of clothes and several toys brought packed from the otaku's room earlier that day in hopes of a "yes" from her self-invitation to her girlfriend's house. She guaranteed no "funny business" as Kuroi called it, assuming it meant sex and that surely wasn't on Konata's list of planned activities but there still dwelled a sense of doubt in her girlfriend's voice. "I don't know Konata…"

"You still need to give me back my Gurren Lagann CD, I've asked for it all week but you keep forgetting."

"Crap! I keep forgetting about it!" The final prick at her defenses was broken; this was the only way to return it to Konata and somehow she knew the otaku planned it all. She used Kuroi's human forgetfulness to her advantage just so she can sleep over. Once Kuroi drove home to pick it up she wouldn't feel like driving all the way back to Konata's house just to drop her off. "You got me," Kuroi said. "You little trickster."

"I know how lazy adults can be," Konata said. "Now, to the Nanako Kingdom!"

Konata: I have a joke for you. Knock Knock.

Kuroi: Who's t-

Konata: Girugamesh!

Kuroi: What the? What does that mean?

Konata: Internet memes. I love them. Now let's watch Miku sing about Vegetable JuiceEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Author's Note: Man, this was definitely the hardest chapter for me to write. Everything felt repetitive and I don't know if I could completely get the mood across. I don't want to see the word "Dance" or "club" for a long time. So many edits and it still didn't turn out like I wanted not even Konata's choice of clothes, I really need to improve my sentence structure too. I notice I repeat myself way too often. Ah well, I'm really looking forward to the sleep over chapter though and you should be too!


	13. Chapter 13:Night in the Serpent’s Cave

Hidden Candy

Chapter 13: Night in the Serpent's Cave

Hiyori found it impossible to draw that night, staring at her blank paper neatly aligned onto her working desk. She just received a text from Konata bragging how she was staying over at her girlfriend's house for the night, sending an envy coursing through the fujiyoshi's hands as they crashed down onto the desk. "Damn…I haven't been getting too much inspiration from my models! Konata's always dating far away from my limitations, I haven't seen Minami and Yutaka since I've started my research on teachers x students relationships and those Hiiragi twins aren't dishing out the fan service! I hope Konata enjoys her time though and tells me all about it at school." This new field of forbidden romance expanded daily but tonight she would have to leave it for sleep, vowing to herself to exert more effort towards hunting down Konata and Kuroi sightings as she shut off her light and tucked herself away into bed. The night was over for the artist but it was just beginning for her sempai.

Kuroi's car slipped back into the forest of suburban houses about twenty minutes away from the club she and Konata spent the good half of the evening at so far. Eventually allowing her girlfriend to stay over for the night at her house came with an agreement of abstinence, Kuroi never thought about making love to her student, a mental video which exploded into several more issues she kept locked away in her head. So far it was confirmed that if she stepped past that boundary there would never be a return, she'd be Konata's first partner and comparing experiences was it right for her to take that position?

"Here we are," she said, pulling up into the driveway. Konata's sudden exit of the vehicle alarmed the blonde forcing her to quickly turn off the engine and rush after her to the front door. The teenager seemed to have a talent for mixing emotions, her face was stuck in that frequent lazy cat mask but anyone who knew her well enough could practically taste the excitement shaking off of her and into the air around them, the tips of that wicked smile curling slightly up. Kuroi unlocked the door and turned around without opening it. She gazed down, those small pair of feet closer to hers without warning. "Before you come in Konata, I should clean up for a minute."

"You don't have to worry, my room's a mess too," Konata said, attempting to walk past the panicked blockade. Kuroi used her arm to swiftly close off any possible entrance. "Sorry but there's some stuff I should really clean up, personal things I wouldn't want people to see. You understand what I'm saying, _young lady_?"

"Oh! Go right ahead," Konata said, glad she caught the hint. The door clicked after Kuroi snuck into her own house while keeping an eye on Konata to make sure the girl didn't disappear and reappear on her bed somehow. The sounds of trash cans shuffling mixed in with plastic bag tossing, loud enough to give Kuroi's position past the walls so Konata was surprised when the door suddenly swung open after a short period of silence. Hair sprung from her head like loose hairs on a cotton ball, Kuroi chuckled tiredly with closed eyes, hunched over and said, "Come on in!"

Konata glanced over, etching the scenery into her mind this time. Upon entry she noted the small living room that encircled a long glass table painted with trash and utensils. Ahead of it was a dimmed kitchen decorated with the necessities of an oven, refrigerator and so forth, the microwave was notably dirty. A dark hallway on the side of the connecting rooms clearly led to the bedroom and a spare bathroom inserted in the left across from a closet that was sure to hold nothing but junk. Kuroi led the way to her room at the hallway's end where a rectangle of light shone through the darkness. There was nothing spectacular about the house so far but a faded apple scent struggled against its inevitable death, blanketing the house beforehand. Behind it one could pick up cleaning products in the air. "Is the smell bothering you?" Kuroi asked, holding onto the doorknob of her room.

"Nope. I'm surprised; you must clean this place a lot." Konata answered.

"Yeah, then I mess it up again but since I usually have nowhere to go I might as well do something around her besides having fun all day. So, ready to see my room for the second time?"

"Getting excited are we? Yep, now I can explore and touch things so it's like seeing it through virgin eyes," Konata said, watching light escape as the door opened. The room was just as she remembered, an excessively large bed with a flat screen television across that stood between two doors, one being the entrance and the other leading to the private bath. A curtain hung from the right wall, blocking a rather thin window whose only purpose seemed to be letting sun beams blind you when you awoke in the morning.

Most interesting of all was the computer desk, crammed with books, portable devices, game controllers and the remnants of meals scattered around the chair and keyboard. Konata noted the potato chip bags wrinkled next to the cups with a puddle of old soda at the bottom. "What a pig," Konata said, menacingly giggling. "You spend time to clean your house for me but leave your Burger King wrappers and snack trays all over the place."

"Hey, don't judge me," Kuroi said, heading towards her closet a footstep away from her desk, hanging up her coat. "My house may be a mess but it has spirit."

"I agree, I really like your home. But now it feels even better now that I can look and grab stuff, even the resident," Konata said. She sat on the edge of the bed and shuffled through her bag, pulling out a set of clothes. "What are those?" Kuroi asked, teetering into speechlessness.

"There's no need to be surprised, these are just pajamas."

The thought of seeing Konata in nightwear hadn't crossed her mind, she could feel herself falling into some carefully sown web now. Tonight at the club she had already begun to lose control, Konata was too cute for her sensors and now she'd be wearing loose pajamas right in front of her! And knowing her petite girlfriend there was bound to be bare shoulders and plenty of close contact hugs. "I'm all sweaty from dancing so can I use your bath or should I use the guest bath?" asked Konata, zipping her bag up, putting the folded pajamas on the bed.

"You're my girlfriend so I don't mind you using mine." Kuroi said. _"Crap! Now she's going to be naked in my house now too!"_

Konata had already closed the door to the changing room and loudly said, "I'll leave the door unlocked just in case."

"Just in case of what? What are you implying?"

"You need to take a bath too right? It would be a waste of water if we did it separately."

"No way! Hurry up and bathe yourself. Talking like this is some kind of porn comic."

"So tsundere, come on in. I'm already undressed and everything," Konata said, sticking one foot out and nodding it in the air as an invitation. Kuroi threatened to chop it off if the teenager didn't quickly get the bath ready and clean herself, dropping the conversation right there before simply sitting on the bed and staring at the bathroom door. She could hear some splashing and soon a peaceful song being hummed away. No doubt it was a long time since she bathed with someone else and she would love to with Konata but her better judgment held her back-at least that's what she called it.

"She's really not coming in is she?" Konata asked herself, lightly washing her arms. "Your soap smells so good Nanako and the shampoo just caresses down my hair so softly! I wish I could wash my back better, if only a beautiful and young woman could do that for me."

"Shut up and bathe!" Kuroi said, banging on the door. _"She almost got me with that beautiful and young comment_." She knew exactly what Konata was doing, she wouldn't initiate anything but she sure would seduce her teacher into doing so. Even with Konata's deal of no funny business it wasn't unlikely the otaku's mind would fall towards more carnal pleasures anyway. At first it almost succeeded, Kuroi finding her fingers beginning to unbutton her shirt but she looked around the room for anything to distract her mind and soon she was playing videogames on her Playstation 2. She sat against her bed, feeling Konata's pajamas under her back.

Curiously turning her head around, she unfolded the set of clothes for a preview of what she was going to see Konata in. "What the?! This just a little black undershirt and some really short shorts! Crap that's going to be cute!" A new word to describe cute attempted to form in her head but she failed to come up with anything, also realizing that they must have been left on the bed on purpose, providing Konata a good excuse for walking out the bathroom either nude or with a towel. Kuroi knew which one she would like but she resisted.

Konata poked her head out of the bathroom door minutes later, with a towel tightly around her petite form. "Sorry, left my clothes out here. I'm a little wet too, guess I wasn't dry enough."

The older woman gritted her teeth, paralyzing herself to not turn around and get the young piece of meat dancing about behind her. Her defenses were completely shattered when the sound of a towel dropping to the floor reached her ears. _"No…this is too much!"_ Kuroi thought to herself. _"She's….she's actually naked behind me! Changing! This is too much for me to bear. How is this brat managing to do this to me?"_

The teenager stood for half a minute, seeing her teacher diligently gluing herself to the television. She decided to let subtlety take its course and slipped into her rather breezy clothes. "I'm done so you can go in."

"Thanks, I'm almost done here," Kuroi said, finding a save point before shutting off the game system. Konata was surprised there wasn't a Wii or even a Playstation 3 in the room, to which Kuroi explained she was a Sony Girl but couldn't afford a PS3 right now. Konata asked for the controller as Kuroi pulled out a set of random clothing from her drawers-anything would do, she had to leave the room and the cute girl in it-and locked the bathroom door behind her. She undressed and tossed her clothes into the hamper, noticing Konata's already folded and neatly placed. "At least she has proper manners with her dirty clothes…"

Filling a bucket with water, she sat on a miniature stool waiting for her bath to begin with closed eyes and a head that felt heavy with thought. Konata was really pushing it tonight, the otaku was beginning to grasp how much power she had over her teacher and she had set up the circumstances where they would be all alone in the most private of places. "Stupid Konata…" she moaned, turning the water off. "It's not like I don't want to do those kinds of things with her but….damn it! All this thinking! I keep thinking if I have sex with her I'll be her first but that's not right! Then if I don't what does that say about the relationship?"

The washcloth was furiously rubbed against her arms, leaving a burning sensation. She was letting her frustrations out and she knew it. Seeing her now-girlfriend as a person rather than a student no longer seemed important of an issue as it had been in the beginning of their time together compared to the problems now. The washing began to slow down as Kuroi ceased talking to herself, finding herself staring into space. Her thoughts were putting themselves together, connecting at every perfect angle and intersection, it felt natural and swift. Completely motionless, Kuroi's mouth began to open, far enough for the tip of her fang to appear. "I'm really…falling in love with Konata. And I really don't want to restrain myself like this."

Grinding her teeth, she kicked the bucket over, ignoring the water splashing like a tsunami across the tiled floor and into the drain. Konata knocked on the door, asking "Is everything okay Nanako?"

"Yeah, the bucket just fell over." Kuroi quickly washed the remainder of her self and dried off before heading into the dressing room, grabbing the clothes from the drawer. "No!"

She held the clothes into the air, having to confirm completely what was happening to her. In her rush to get away from Konata she never realized what she was grabbing and had judged simply by appearance. "This is just panty hose and…no! A delicate night gown! Curse the discount sales at the store."

Konata's wiring would fry if she saw her teacher in such an attractive, revealing outfit. But what could she do? Her options were to either sneak past Konata with the almost transparent gown or ask for the teen to search through her clothes, confirming her nudity behind the door and enticing who knows what. "This is all too much. Konata!"

Hearing her girlfriend's call she placed the game controller down and headed towards the bathroom door, standing directly in front of where the crack would be if opened in the slightest. "Yes Nanako?"

Opening it slightly, Kuroi gasped as Konata's face flashed from expectancy to full surprise. "N-Nanako!"

"Damn it!" The sight of her holding her bare chest and attempting to lean her body out of the otaku's sight was now chiseled into Konata's mind, certainly creating a thrilling excitement in her. Blushing fiercely, Kuroi was mad at herself for letting herself get seen so easily, ignoring the slight pleasure she felt of being seen in such a state. "Konata just listen!" she said, sounding as if to scold. "I got the wrong clothes so please get me something to wear out of my dresser. And I swear if it's something perverted I'll bonk you."

"No problem." A minute later Konata tapped on the bathroom door, ordered to stand in front of it instead of at the corner where it would open. Kuroi stuck a nervous hand out for the clothes and once she felt them in her grasp she quickly pulled her hand back and slammed the door. Tonight it was the typical sleeveless, black shirt and shorts reaching halfway to her thighs-almost identical to what her girlfriend wore. She feared Konata might eventually explode from excitement but she opened the bathroom door anyway and left, noticing the girl now trying on her bras. "Konata!"

"Sorry, wanted to see what big bras felt like. Plus I wanted to get your sizes," Konata explained, tucking the treasures back into the drawers. "Remember, no funny business Konata, you made a deal," Kuroi reminded.

"I know, I know. I'm just being curious. How about I brush your hair? Come with me on the bed," Konata said, pulling a comb out of her bag and sitting on her knees. The blonde stared at her almost waiting for a little devil to start dancing on Konata's shoulder, some physical evidence that she was up to no good. For now there was nothing suspicious so she sat on the bed and allowed her long yellow waterfall of hair to swing back and fall to the hands of her girlfriend. "I'm not stupid so don't try anything funny," Kuroi grunted.

"I know that," Konata said, lifting a soft stream of hair with one hand. She easily caught the pleasant smell before beginning to lightly soothe at it with the comb, even taking the liberty to rub her face against it just to test how silky it truly was against the skin. "I probably already said this a bunch of times but your hair is really beautiful."

"Thanks, but your hair is nothing to take lightly either. I think the very same about yours," Kuroi said. She lightened her own mood after that, glad Konata decided to focus on pleasant conversation rather than throwing some moves against her. The teacher could finally melt the tension off her shoulders and breathe easy. "After this how about I brush your hair, give me a good chance to rub it against my face too?"

"Of course sensei!"

"You still call me sensei eh?"

"Well, you do seem to teach me a lot of new things, even when we're alone. Plus it's a nice nickname, dominant!" Konata said, bouncing her bottom against the bed to the song playing in her head. "Nanako's so cute."

That sent a cherry red light across the woman's face. She started looking down, feeling the sweet, heart-moving warmth she loved so much. Few relationships ever managed to do this to her. "Yeah, you're really cute too Konata. I was surprised you were comparing yourself to me earlier at the club though, you're very attractive in your own way. You should be more confident."

"I know, I know but that was kinda my first time having to really worry about how I look to others. Usually I don't care," explained Konata. Though she felt like combing all night she could see her work was almost done. "But I'm happy about myself, glad I got my looks from my mom too. And…all done!"

"I've never really seen a picture of your mom, maybe I should stay over at your house one night," Kuroi said. She then began to feel something moving along her side. Looking down it was Konata's hands and arms curving around her stomach, getting a good grip once the fingers interlocked. Before her teacher could say anything she slid her head onto the creamy shoulders before her, rubbing against the long, slender neck warming up from Kuroi's increased breathing. "Nanako…"

Suddenly the hands bumped into her breasts, shocking her teacher's entire system.

"Damn it Konata!" Kuroi shouted out, immediately grabbing and pulling Konata's hands off of her, she continued to turn around and grab the wrists. She pushed Konata down onto the bed, exerting her strength over the girl beneath her and stared harshly into those questioning green eyes with her own, marked with fury. "Stop it Konata! Just stop it! And I thought you had quit!"

"What? What did I do?"

"This whole night, everything Konata!" Kuroi fussed, hearing her own voice crack. "Stop trying to have sex with me, stop losing your head over me like this! This whole evening you've done nothing but try to break me down and pressure me into doing something I don't want to do with you! Why can't you get into your head that tonight is just not the night?!"

"I…I'm sorry."

"Sorry?! Konata..."

"I'm sorry…it was accident. My hand bumping into…" The teenager stared back apologetically, eyes like a puppy that just got spanked. Kuroi instantly drained her own strength away from her hands and placed them next to the girl's face, feeling the anger slip just as easily. "Konata…please, just stop okay. I don't want to do it tonight, I just don't."

"I understand. I'll stop now. I know I made a deal but I just couldn't resist. I don't know why, when I'm with you…" Konata explained, squeezing her fingers against her palm.

"Konata, try to resist okay? Just because you think I'm attractive is no reason to-"

"It's not just that," Konata interrupted. She paused, noticing the face of fading frustration above her. A sting of shame pricked her heart, something that could only be healed with the truth. "I do think you're very beautiful but…it's more than that. I really like you a lot, more than I let on too. I just wanted to be closer to you."

Kuroi sighed, not knowing what to do with the girl locked in her shadow. "Konata…I'm sorry. I shouldn't be acting like this either. I shouldn't be doing this at all. Get up, c'mon." Kuroi helped her up back on her bottom. "The thing after the hair…you weren't trying to seduce me or anything but…everything else before that you were. I probably ruined a perfect evening with the way I handle things didn't I?"

"No…it was me who ruined it, trying to make you do something you didn't want to. I was just so excited that we might finally be able to…have sex," Konata said, regretting everything she planned out. A nice sleepover with her girlfriend and this is how she acted? To say the least, she wasn't proud of her behavior. Neither was Kuroi, grimly embracing the fact that she just grabbed Konata in such a way. "Konata…you're a teenager. You have nothing to apologize for, that's just how you are at that age so relax. I'm not mad at you anymore and I'm sorry for pouncing on you like that, it was…inappropriate of me. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I love the pouncing." Konata said, chuckling as she remembered the sudden strength pressed against her only a few minutes ago.

"Back to your old self already huh? That's good," Kuroi said, chuckling with relief. She had to admit, that kicked-up spirit and willingness to move on brightened that adorable smile on the girl's face, making a fang pop out from the serene, widened U her teacher's lips made. Kuroi leaned in and gave Konata an extended peck on the lips. "You can have as many of these as you want though. Here, have another."

Kuroi began to move closer and closer, kissing the blue haired girl more and more. Konata weakly fought back, nothing more but her hands gently patting her teacher's arms and shoulders against the barrage of love. The machine gun lips kept shooting, hitting softly and backing Konata up against the wall before she finally was consumed by Kuroi's arms and allowed to flow flat onto the bed like a river on a mountain. The kissing grew longer and heavier each time now. Konata was in the older woman's grip and all she felt like doing in return was hugging her back as they left no room between them. Perhaps she could do something a bit daring. "Tongue?" Kuroi asked, looking down at Konata with a flushed, happy face. "Alright, just a little now."

"But you're the one taking my air away, sensei. Dominating me mercilessly."

"Want me to be a bit softer huh?"

"No way. This is perfect!"

Fifteen minutes passed before they decided to stop; there was still plenty to do as the hour hand still had some way to go before reaching midnight. Since it was a Friday they could stay up all night, something Konata had planned already and suggested once Kuroi was finished petting her. "I brought something quite interesting in my bag I think you might like."

"Your bag?"

Konata rose and headed towards the side of the bed where she shuffled through the small mess of items. "Yep, some toys."

"Eh….what kind of toys Konata? Nothing…adult right?"

"Touhou!"

"To what?"

"It's a danmaku shooter!"

"Danmaku? You're going to have to clarify."

Konata explained it simply as "Bullet Hell". Turning on the computer, she sat at the desk for the first time and inserted a flash drive into the USB port. Kuroi watched carefully from behind, leaning next to Konata's head, now completely lost in enjoyment of her girlfriend's company but she remembered what Konata's interests were composed of and prayed the game wasn't dirty. An icon was clicked and suddenly the game began. Konata explained the basic instructions and game play before getting up out of the seat. "It's much more fun to see a newbie playing Touhou for the first time."

"Alright Konata, I'll accept your challenge. Shooters are one of my major strengths! Let's start on Hard Mode!"

"How brave yet naïve of you Nanako."

The first level started and the first enemies were cleared easily. Then the boss came and death came easily. "I died."

"Pay attention, you're still in the game."

"I'm ready now! Bring it you snow fairy!" The level was finished quickly but the next level wiped her out. Barely surviving the constant array of enemies from every side, Kuroi finally made it to the boss only to see the entire screen covered in deadly attacks. "What the?!" she shouted out. "There's no way to dodge all this! There's hundreds of bullets shooting at me!"

"Come on sensei! Win against all odds!"

"Take that you stupid dolls! Wait, even the bullets are shooting bullets! How do I dodge?!"

"Bomb! Use a bomb!"

"Which button is that? I forgot!"

Her character exploded, tasting her first complete wipe out from the game. Never had she seen such chaos from a shooter game. Konata proudly showed off her talents at the game though admitting lunatic mode was too much to bear and left for the more severe fans, Kuroi however didn't take losing lightly. She played again as soon as Konata was done and eventually it became sort of a party game, each taking their own turns. Kuroi improved with each death, blasting away enemies while Konata cheered from the sidelines, warning to watch out for nearing attacks. "This needs beer! Go get me a bottle from the fridge!"

Konata left the room, hearing victorious cheers ring through the air. The atmosphere was definitely different from their close kissing but had a crazier, fun feel to it-enough to make Konata forget about anymore seductions, at least for the evening. Opening the fridge she saw very little inside besides basic ingredients and beer. The freezer was where all the meals were, notably microwaveable breakfasts, lunches and dinners. "This gives me an idea though."

Returning with beer in hand, Konata placed it down onto the desk as Kuroi's character once again exploded. She yelped out in disappointment but admitted she was having a lot of fun no matter the result. "I'm glad you like the game, I want to see what kind of gamer you are. You just rushed into every stage never suspecting a thing and died a lot. Do you even read the manuals?"

"Manuals? I'll learn through playing." Kuroi proudly said, twisting the bottle top off and chugging a fourth of the alcohol. "I don't even read the manuals for online games and _those _can get really confusing."

"I know, sometimes you're just better off going to the forums or guide sites for help. Can I have a sip?"

"Sure. Wait, no. You almost got me."

"I can't wait until I'm older."

"You sure can't, dating an older woman, playing adult games before you're even legal. But seeing as how your pop doesn't care either way it's obvious where you get it from," Kuroi said. "But you're still a very sweet person somehow. Crazy, but sweet."

"You too. Speaking of sweet, want to bake some cookies with me?" asked Konata. "I noticed you have a lot of stuff in the fridge that requires cooking and judging by your freezer packed with easy meals you don't do a lot of that."

"Saw that huh? Noticed my pile of dirty magazines under the living room table?"

"You have dirty magazines too?!" Konata couldn't believe what she was hearing, finally a fellow female she could share naughty pictures with. Kuroi stared back at her in horror, beer nearly slipping from her hand. "I was just messing around. Does your father know about this?"

"Whoops. You got me. But with the right mind one can appreciate the dirty things right? A lot of my dating games have good romantic plots. The sex is justified if not necessary!"

"Stop defending yourself, you lost. Now let's bake those cookies, I'm craving chocolate now. With all your talk against my minute meals you better show me something spectacular."

"And my prize?" Konata asked.

"Hmm, something appropriate."

"How about something inappropriate? A slap on the butt? Cop a feel?"

"Well…I should let you get away with something. It's a deal then."

"Yes!"

"Loosened up pretty good aren't ya? So I can choose the slapper and the slappee then? Let's bake those cookies!"

Konata and Kuroi rushed into the kitchen and began their work. Even after hearing the battle plan and type of snacks they were making, Kuroi still resorted to keeping a cooking book opened on the counter, something her girlfriend made sure to tease her about. "I guess you cooking was a lie huh?"

"Sorry for tricking you but you can't just judge a woman by her ability to cook," Kuroi said, stirring the chocolate with her arm wrapped around the bowl. Konata was more than happy to be the chef out of the two of them; she explained how she always made her family's meals and her own lunch so it became second nature to know how to cook. "That's rather impressive of you. You even fix your cousin's bento?"

Konata cleaned up the trays at the sink, ripping a foot length of aluminum foil to cover them with. "Yep, she needs a special diet too since she gets sick a lot. Things like proper vitamins and nutrients."

"Poor Yutaka, at least she has you to watch over her. But Konata…" Kuroi then stopped. Was it okay to continue with the question she wished to ask? So far the night had been great and she didn't want to ruin anything or shift the atmosphere. Konata turned the faucet off and looked back at her teacher who made her way to other side of the center counter. "What is it Nanako?"

"Sorry if this is troubling but…I know your mom died when you were young and I think I remember hearing you say once before that she was rather sickly too."

"Oh, you can go ahead and ask me stuff like that. I don't mind at all. Everyone acts so nervous about it. But what is it that you want to ask?"

"Konata…what did your mom die of?" The chocolate stopped stirring and Konata's blank eyes stared at the woman across the kitchen. She wasn't positive if she felt uncomfortable discussing it or if she was feeling how uncomfortable Kuroi was asking about it. She had to give an answer. "She had a frail body, a weak immune system. That kind of thing."

"Oh." The chocolate slowly began stirring again but not nearly as fast as it was before.

"Is that all you wanted to ask?" Konata said, smiling to the side. "If you're wondering that I might have a weak body too like my cousin then I'm happy to inform you I don't. My dad got me into martial arts and fed me right. That's how I know so much about cooking."

"Good. I have to admit Konata…I was a bit worried."

"About something happening to me?"

"…"

"You regular people are so funny." Konata said. "You all always feel strange around me whenever my mom is brought up. I'm lucky to be so happy with my big family and a bunch of friends so I'm sure she's happy in Heaven too. That's enough for me so stop making me feel weird."

"Sure." Kuroi said, finishing the chocolate off with a smile. "I'm sorry."

"Save your apology, I want my reward for these cookies."

Holding the bowl with two hands, the amateur cook walked towards the otaku, standing beside her and placing her work on the counter next to the trays. She watched as Konata molded the chocolate into large balls, some were made into chips for the cookies and a large portion for the brownies. "Sure are planning a lot for tonight."

"Let's stay up until the sun rises!" Konata said.

"Stay up late? I haven't done that in a while…except on the weekends…when I grind my levels."

"Now you can grind levels together with me."

"You know, I always felt a little lonely when you logged off late in the night. We can play some more of that Touhou and eat all this food you're making. Which better be delicious or no prize." And without paying attention, Kuroi petted the top of Konata's head and kissed the top of it, eyes peacefully shut and chest pressing against the backside of her small companion. Her eyes flashed with shock but she didn't move, instead enjoying the moment and kissing her head once again. _"I've learned a lot about you Konata. You're stronger than I thought and more mature than I could have imagined."_

Once the food was ready they laid it all across the stove and tasted a small sample as the remainder cooled down. Konata knew it was delicious and now awaited her teacher's response, staring relaxingly and with confidence at the blonde. Kuroi-mouth stuffed with a large piece of brownie-caught the look and turned her back. After swallowing what she had, she stood silent. "Hmm….better luck next time. Um….tastes good but..."

"I know you're lying. You love it! And now for my prize!" Konata's hand swooped it for Kuroi's rear, clapping in nicely. "What a butt! Good job!"

"I almost choked on my brownie!"

Taking the rest of the food into the bedroom, Konata set up her karaoke game and the two stood with mikes in hand to songs such as Paradise Lost, Kuchibiru Daydream, and even dancing to Hare Hare Yukai-naturally songs selected by Konata. Afterwards they played more games, Konata exploring the entire library and only getting a few peeks of what was saved on the computer. Kuroi wasn't sure if she wanted her girlfriend to know the entirety of her machine and made her job to keep a safeguard on her computer. The occasional tickle fights broke out along with sessions of intimate kissing, reminding the two to control themselves.

A pot of coffee was fixed later and the two sat in bed, discussing everything that popped into their head, discussions about old dates, the classroom and Kuroi's teaching through a student's eye, what Konata does with her friends and anything else that could fit into the hours and hours of time they spent simply sitting across from each other. Their words would filter through laughter, shocked gasps and hums of intrigue.

The two kept an eye on each other's pajamas as well, with every moving wrinkle and slight opening that breezed by. Kuroi's peeking didn't provide nearly as much eyecandy as Konata's who began to noticed a green marking on the woman's body. "What's that?" she asked.

"What's what?"

"That green mark on near your waist. It pokes out sometimes."

"Oh. You caught that? Well, that's my snake tattoo." Kuroi carefully lower her shorts far enough for the head to pop out from atop her thigh. "Remember I told you they used to call me Serpent Nana in high school?"

"You never told me why though. I know you were a delinquent but did you actually get into fights?"

"All the time. Never hit a teacher though but I really wanted to."

"I can understand that feeling." Konata smugly said, checking to see if she offended Kuroi. With clearance, Kuroi continued. "A lot of times. I could finish a fight with a single punch like how one might die from a single snake bite's poison. I didn't pick the name but I chose the tattoo. It was sort of a rebellion against my parents."

"What kind of people were your parents?"

Kuroi's expression dropped, becoming something similar to contemplation and reflection. "My parents are good people, I was the bad kid. They just tried looking out for me and hoped for the best."

"Well, I think their hopes were fulfilled."

"Thanks. I wish I could apologize for being such a rotten kid but I don't think that'll be enough to make up for it," Kuroi said. "I want to say it at the right time and do something nice for them."

Yawning, Konata stretched out her arms and tiredly said, "I'm sure you will. But I'm more certain they probably already know how you feel. They have a daughter to be proud of."

"Your father is thinking the same thing. Anyway, it's getting pretty late. It's 5 in the morning, we should hit the hay."

"Okay," Konata said, falling over onto the mattress and covering herself up. Kuroi watched widely as the girl wiggled her legs and stretched again. "Uh…this is my bed."

"Yeah but where else am I going to sleep?"

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Kuroi took the other side, facing Konata and kissing her forehead before flipping over onto her back, staring at the roof. Konata's arm moved onto her the older woman's stomach as her head rested on her breasts. "K-Konata!"

"Don't worry; I just want to be close. Is this uncomfortable for you?"

"No, no…it's perfect." She was honest to herself this time, wrapping her own arm around Konata and rubbing her sides, listening to the light breaths as the otaku slipped into slumber. There was so much blue hair; it felt as if another sheet was under the covers. Sunlight began to peek through the curtains before Kuroi finally realized she had yet to fall asleep. "I've been staring at you for the past couple hours," she said, chuckling and poking the tip of the sleeping Konata's nose, kissing it when she was done. "You're too cute and sweet. All this sugar is keeping me up. Ooh. Good thing you're sleeping, I rather you didn't hear that lame line. Good night Konata."

~Afternoon~

Konata: Well, see ya on Monday Nanako! I had a lot of fun at your house.

Kuroi: Yeah, it was great having you over. You can come over whenever you want from now on okay?

Konata: Hey, did you ever return my Gurren Lagann OST?

Kuroi: Crap! I forgot to give it back.

Konata: Well, I guess another sleepover is in order.

Author's Note: Everything has really been going smoothly; the alerts and favorites are up along with the good flow of reviews and progress I'm making on the story. I'm really glad this pairing is doing well among the community, there's a lot of people who doubted this couple and changed their minds once they read this story. To summarize, I'm glad everyone likes it and I'll work hard to finish it soon.


	14. Chapter 14:Love Carnival

Hidden Candy

Chapter 14:Love Carnival

Breezing through, the next week marked a great improvement from what seemed like such a short while ago. As cooking was to Konata, Kuroi's meetings, conversations, and simple casual hanging outs with her girlfriend grew into second nature for her as well-she caught herself sometimes waiting to see if Konata would call her or even leaving the house for lunch with her. There was a level of near intimate comfort between them, contrasting Kuroi's previous attitude to live by herself for a major length of her life and possibly settle for an arranged marriage or permanent single life. As she walked through Akihabara that early Wednesday evening, surprised the crowds remained crowded at such an hour, she took the time to reflect on the past years of her life since they now greatly differed from the past few months.

She had to admit, her single life was partially her fault. Frequenting bars she didn't like and closeting herself away at home only attracted unwanted or no company at all. A smile came to her face, remembering the time she was asked on a date by someone in her online guild, she immediately reported it to Konata and they both had a good chuckle about it. Secretly though, she felt a temptation to accept the offer. She always believed the man should ask the woman out, not the other way around. So far that didn't work out too great for her. Every day she vowed to try harder and appeal to more people but even when she managed to snag a date she would never really be happy with it. Everything was too typical, too romantic and-she boldly admitted to herself-too adult. Konata set herself leagues apart from the standards from the get go but now she felt like that appeal evolved beyond simply that.

Kuroi stopped, finding an array of colorful buildings decorated with various advertisements posted on the front, one of which would lead to Konata. She took another glance at the directions Konata handed to her, no less than a first grader's artwork with very detailed descriptions on how to navigate the city. "This is like a bad strategy guide."

Today Kuroi offered to pick up Konata from work, interested in seeing the cosplay café and worried what manner of freaks lurked about in the electric city when the sun began to lower. She was assured it was usually safe but understood someone of her girlfriend's size and adorability-a new word Konata must have discovered on the internet-might attract unusual attention in this city of special interests. To say the least, it was like a whole other world cut off from society, full of its share of funs and fears. Kuroi could easily say the same about her and Konata. She paused in front of the tall, white walled building and began walking up a lit staircase tunneling upwards.

Resembling more of an apartment building, she was surprised a cosplay café was located behind one of these numerous green doors. Climbing up two floors, she found the Brigade's Café, efficiently built under the command of God-so the advertisement claimed. Luckily Konata had explained that it was meant to set people into the mood of the show, that the so called "God" was actually a character named Haruhi who may or may not be such a being. Opening the door, Kuroi was met by a rather deadpan, purple headed girl staring directly at her, eyes soaked in what seemed like upset boredom. "Greetings and welcome to the Brigade's Café. Your name preference?" the girl soullessly asked, maintaining a rhythm in her stoic voice. It felt like talking to a computer. Kuroi pulled out her pathetic map as if it were a clearance badge for entry and explained she was looking for Konata, hopefully not having to answer the strange girl's equally bizarre question.

Suddenly the girl brightened with youth, her voice picking up with excitement. "Oh, Kona-chan? Her shift is over; she's changing in the backroom. Are you…her girlfriend?"

"Y-yeah. Why did you-"

"Here she comes! Kona-chan, your girlfriend is here!"

Konata quickly walked into the hallway, signaling the girl to be quiet with a finger to her lips. "Shh, you don't want the customers to hear that, they'll get upset."

"Oh, sorry Kona-chan! But is this really your girlfriend? She seems so much older than you."

Konata smirked and peacefully gazed over to Kuroi, pecking her on the cheek. It was agreed that whenever Konata stepped on her tippy toes and placed a hand on her girlfriend's shoulder, Kuroi would automatically leaned downwards, either for a kiss or to have something whispered to her-the difference in height was one of the few trivial issues they had. "Nanako is the apple of my eyes."

"That reminds me, tomorrow is Horo Day so be prepared for that," the girl kindly reminded. "You've been assigned as Horo."

"Again? I swear, you do a good job one day and they milk you for all they can. Ah well, at least it's a character I like. Anyway, we should get going, right Nanako?" Konata asked, sliding her fingers between the older woman's and gripping on. She received a nod back and they left the hallway of the café, holding hands. "What was wrong with that girl in there?" Kuroi started. "First she was acting like a lifeless doll and then when you came she was all cheery."

"She was just in character when you met her; she plays as Yuki from the anime I told you about. We should really watch it together sometime."

"Any fighting in it?"

"A little but its mostly high school life and sci fi."

"Eh?"

"But let's forget that for now. Ready for tonight?"

Kuroi nodded, beginning their walk down the staircase. Her first dinner at the Izumi household awaited her in the following hour, an arrangement scheduled by Konata after a conversation on Monday. It had been nearly three months since they started dating each other but they were progressing quickly, a fact that made Kuroi a bit cautious. She insisted they slow down and rather the dinner been postponed until the month after but Konata explained it would be best now so her father can get a better idea of who the real Nanako Kuroi is, the mature woman dating his daughter. Besides, Konata wanted to discuss something important during dinner with everyone so the issue was settled.

They took their final steps from the shade of the building and began heading towards the train station. Kuroi began to take back her fingers but Konata retrieved them once again. "Konata, do you really think we should be holding hands in public?"

"Oh this country is too strict with that."

"Yeah but what if someone we know catches us doing this?" Yui instantly came to mind, if the officer would track them to Akihabara on their date there was no doubt they would bump into her one of these days. Kuroi had prepared a list of excuses for that occasion but if they were to be caught holding hands that would scratch out every believable response she could imagine. Konata leaned closer, her right side touching her teacher's arm. "Can we at least hold hands until the train station?"

"…sure. That's okay with me. I'll just tell Yui that you're afraid of the night if we see her." Teasing the girl, Kuroi loved rubbing the blue bundle of hair whenever she kidded around like that. Konata found it irritating at first, forced to readjust her hair back to normal but decided to perceive it as a type of playful touching-which it truly was-and began enjoying it. She left her hair a little wildly this time. "Are you nervous about tonight Nanako?"

"A bit. I'd like to know what the big issue is we're going to be discussing."

"It's nothing bad so you don't have to be worried. Believe me."

"That's good. It still feels a bit rushed though."

"Through a perspective of time, yes," Konata said. "But the truth is we see each other almost every day so it's bound to happen anyway."

"Eh…I see your point. Just bothersome. Especially with the kind of person your pop is." It seemed like Kuroi's hair was beginning to rise with anxiety. With careful observation Konata noticed a lot of peculiar behaviors from the woman next to her. "You know, I can tell you're bothered," she smugly said.

"Oh really? What gave that away?" A sarcastic response was sent back.

"Do you know that you run your fingers through your hair and hold your head a lot when you're bothered?"

"Hmm? I…guess I do. I've never really noticed that before."

"Yep, that's a benefit of being so short. An ant can tell how a blade of grass changes but a giant couldn't."

"You're bad at quotes," Kuroi said. "You just like starin' at me, you runt."

"Can't help myself. And don't be too bothered by tonight. I know it sucks but my dad isn't completely intrusive and blunt. At least I hope he isn't...at least for tonight."

"And now your entire case crumbles. Time to be more worried than ever." She separated from Konata, the two were now in front of the train station, and the sky was a dark orange which made their green eyes seemingly glow. She looked at Konata and sent a hand down the girl's blue top, seeing the ahoge whip back before she kissed her on the head. "Don't you get too bothered either Konata, I know you're worried about me being worried but I'll survive. Sojiro's an adult and if we can convince him to let you and I date there's not much left to deal with." Once Konata gave off a comforting smile of agreement they purchased their tickets and sat down together on the train, picking spots closest to the door. Konata felt a bit tired after work and decided to squeeze in some quick shut eye on the arm next to her. Kuroi carefully moved her arm to the otaku's side and slid her down onto her lap. "Tired?"

"Just my body, not my eyes." Konata explained. "Got something on your mind?"

"Yeah, if you're awake enough."

"Go ahead blondie."

"Blondie?"

"Sorry, I've always wanted to call someone that," explained Konata. Rubbing the girl beneath her, Kuroi looked around the train, she was glad it was quite spacious with little people onboard. She never liked having conversations on trains, afraid they might have eavesdroppers. "Konata, seeing you at the cosplay café got me thinking. What do you plan to do for a career?"

"Career? Why are you asking about something like that?"

"Well, a career's pretty important Konata. Have any idea what you want to do in life?"

"Not really. Something fun and easy. Nothing with too much manual labor."

"So half the working world is automatically dumped out," Kuroi said with a sigh. "But I hope you have at least a clue on what you would like to do."

"Want your girlfriend to bring in the dough huh?" Konata cheerfully asked, rolling around until her eyes were pointing upwards. Kuroi raised her brow in surprise and smiled, keeping the girl's cheek cupped in her palm now, chuckling. "I'm trying to be a bit serious here. Really, what is it you want to do? Your future's important."

"Well…something definitely related to my interests but that's already assumed right? I would love working on an animation team but I can't draw so maybe a producer or director. Ooh, writing light novels wouldn't be half bad. I've written quite a few fan fiction so I've got experience."

"Fan fiction huh? You should let me see some of that," Kuroi said. Konata instantly looked to the side, cutting her eyes. "I don't know if I want my girlfriend to see that kind of stuff. How about when I make a light novel you can read that?"

"Sure, whatever's good for ya Konata. I'm just happy you have some idea of what you want though that can easily change in a second anyway."

"What made you decide to become a teacher? Problems in high school until that one dedicated tutor changed your life forever?"

Kuroi gave one final pet and moved her hands to the railing next to her seat. "Nah, a bit lamer than that I'm afraid."

Proudly, she referred to her decision of becoming a teacher as a journey, both physically and mentally. "My parents," she started, "Never really gave up on m, even though I had bad test scores and poor grades. Right after I celebrated graduation with my friends they told me they would pay for my college and support me all the way."

"So you went?"

"Not until a year later," Kuroi said. A content calm went over her face, beginning to give off a hundred yard stare even when her eyes went to Konata below her. "I took a trip by myself to learn more about myself. I ended up in some beachside town in Kanagawa and I guess…the time I spent there really allowed me to grow and realize what I wanted in life. So I decided to become a teacher there, it was easy and fun."

"So you're doing what you want to do in life?" Konata asked.

"Well…to a lesser degree. No one wants all these imperfections and mishaps or tough jobs but once you lose all that you'll love them more than ever. The broken and hidden things are always the best."

Konata snuggled into her teacher's stomach and closed her eyes, hands resting against her own chest. "What do you like about teaching?"

"You really want to know?"

"Yeah, of course. It's something about you so I want to know everything."

"Sometimes it's best to hide a few things," Kuroi said. "But the reason I like to teach is because of the feeling I got when I learned about who I really was and what I wanted. I may be a history teacher but that's because it's easy. I keep my door open for all my students and tutor them about any subject they want. And hopefully, maybe I could help them with any problems they're having."

"Does anyone ever come? I thought you used to just run off to your teacher's lounge for lunch and pig off."

"Well…that's slightly true but you're not the one to talk. I don't know how you manage to keep off any fat with all those sweets you eat."

"Martial arts. Maybe I could have beaten the Snake Nana if I wanted."

Kuroi made a fist and stabbed it into the air. "You got some guts Konata. Maybe one day I should beat you up and show you my dominance."

"Sounds…sexy…" Without warning, the petite girl fell silent, breathing warmly against her teacher with her legs curling in comfort. Kuroi wanted to lean in for a kiss but the distance would force her back to snap. Instead she watched the slumbering girl on her lap and played with the open ear on her head. "You're a really sweet person Konata, staying up just so you can talk to me."

She wondered, as the train silently crawled along the tracks, if Konata could ever change greatly from this persona. Did she have a reason to act the way she acted like Kuroi did when she was her age? "I have faith in you Konata, that you know what you want out of life, at least a good grasp of it. Better than me when I was a student."

The train arrived at Kasukabe half an hour later, giving the otaku plenty of time to rest herself for the walk home. Kuroi held her hand to guide the slowly awakening teenager along the sidewalk as the stars began to poke into the dim sky above, almost in harmony with the streetlights that flashed on one by one. "Not too worried about dinner now?" Konata asked, rubbing her eyes.

"You're up now huh? Don't worry; I'm sure it'll all turn out fine. He's a nice guy so everything should go smoothly," Kuroi said. "And I'm interested in meeting your cousin. I didn't know Yui had a sister."

"That's good," replied the teen. There was quite a few times in their past conversations when the issue of family would come up, especially the unusual set up Konata had with hers. From everything she heard, Kuroi could tell Konata held every member of her family as precious and irreplaceable, and she trained herself to not ask about the passing of Kanata, only casual questions about her. Tonight was the perfect opportunity for the father and cousin held so high in her girlfriend's heart to connect with the older woman. The couple soon found themselves in front of the Izumi house after covering one last block. Konata led the way and unlocked the front door, greeting everyone first. "Hey everybody, back from work!"

Sojiro and Yutaka waved at the two with pleasant smiles and warm expressions, sitting around the empty dinner table with books and a laptop humming away. Kuroi nervously walked carefully, taking each step carefully as if the floor may devour her up other wise. Konata took Kuroi's coat and purse and set it on the living room table, leaving the teacher to introduce herself properly and pass the usual courtesies. One of tonight's main objectives was for Yutaka and Kuroi to start building a bond together, she was never sure if her pink haired relative was certain or comfortable with their relationship. Especially with the only emotion she could associate with it was the intense meeting when the couple revealed they were dating to Sojiro. "Sorry for imposing like this, I'm really looking forward to dinner tonight," she started, rubbing the back of her head like Konata knew she would. "If there's anything I can help with just tell me though I'm an average cook to begin with."

"It's no trouble at all. Besides, Konata and I will be preparing dinner. If you don't mind, you could sit down with Yutaka and help set the table when everything's ready," Sojiro kindly said, setting his laptop to hibernate. He tucked it away on a small desk in the corner to recharge before entering the kitchen with his daughter. Kuroi watched, seeing her girlfriend smile and signal her to sit down. _"Come on and relax, why don't cha?"_ those green, empathetic eyes said back. Kuroi pulled up a seat across from Yutaka and looked at her with an uncomfortable smile. "Hiya, Yutaka-san. You can call me whatever you want by the way, I don't really mind."

"Um…okay."

"Just as nervous as I am right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I just want to say something before we get to know each other better. I really care a lot about Konata and I think she's one of the most wonderful people I've met in my life. If you're not comfortable…you know, with our relationship…well, it's not like we'll stop but we'll certainly try our best to make you feel at ease. I don't bite."

"T-thanks," Yutaka said, wishing Minami was sitting next to her during this awkward session. Konata talked to her a lot about their dates and activities together so she held no doubt that her girlfriend was a good person. Simply put, she found the very relationship itself strange but had faith in herself that she would get used to it. She wanted to say something reassuring, "Um…I'm glad Konata was able to find someone like you but it still feels kinda strange to me."

"I can understand that. Well…I hope we can get along well," Kuroi said, sticking out her hand for a handshake. She quickly took it back, realizing she wasn't trying to snatch a business agreement. Then she stuck it out again, realizing Yutaka might have been offended seeing the open hand fly back from her. Konata watched from over her shoulder in the kitchen, chopping up a stick of carrots for the stew tonight. Sojiro stood next to her, cutting the meat with a sharper knife. "So everything is going well between you and Kuroi-san?"

"Yeah, we're doing a lot more together and we've grown really close since our first date," Konata cheerfully said. Her father let out a content smile, pouring the meat into a boiling pot on the stove. His daughter handed him the tray of vegetable slices and he dropped those in next. "I'm happy to hear that. I wasn't sure if you two would remain together this long but it seems like everything is working out fine. Any issues you two have? I've been married believe it or not."

"Well, we have a few like when she sorta restrains how much fun she has sometimes and I forget to give her some space, she usually scolds me about that. Oh, and our height difference but we got a good solution for that," explained Konata. Sojiro nodded and topped off the pot, putting his hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad to hear that, every relationship should have a few problems."

"I can imagine you and Mom having a lot of problems when you were together." The two laughed and he confirmed it, stating she even restrained having too much fun with him when they started going out as well. "Kanata said it would be strange since we were already friends and all but she later realized it was just fear, fear of one of us doing something we couldn't take back."

"You think Nanako's the same way?" Konata asked, her voice of curiosity and childish-like need for guidance reaching for some form of hope.

"Well, it feels different with her but I do think there's a definite fear. Why else would she restrain herself? But with the way things are, it sounds like she really does want to open up more with you and do new things. It'll be fine in the end. And don't forget to tell me about those things after they happen."

"Do you need new material for a book or something? Taking information from a daughter's blooming love." Clearly she disapproved of the dangerous idea but managed to give him the kind of pouty answer he desired, wiping his hand off her shoulder. "Hey, Dad…do you think Mom would have approved of this?"

"Hmm? Your mother? That was one of my first thoughts when you two asked for my approval. I'm being honest when I tell you she really would. But she probably would have disagreed first and as a team we could have broken her defense a little," Sojiro cheered, almost as if to pump Konata into convincing her right now. "But she's definitely watching from above and smiling so she has to approve."

"Yeah!"

Kuroi and Yutaka spent the time between then and dinner discussing basic topics like school and what they both usually do during their free time. Listening closely, the woman picked up on the repetition of a certain green haired girl's name, clearly Konata's cousin was very close with this person and she decided to ask about her in hopes of making the little girl talk more comfortably about something she liked. And like a key to a door, Yutaka's mouth opened and rarely shut when it came to Minami. While Kuroi was glad she got her excited she regretted it a little as the maelstrom of praises and pleasant memories of Minami flew into her head.

Konata came to the rescue, ordering the two to prepare the table. Kuroi made certain to carry the heavier objects such as plates and cups, leaving the chopsticks and napkins for Yutaka. Through pure luck she struck a nice chord within the moeblob, this careful consideration was a trademark act of Minami which Yutaka noticed right away.

The family sat down to dinner with Kuroi as their guest, focusing most of the discussions on the couple and their time together so far. Konata told the story about their date in Akiba and how they were chased down by Yui, Kuroi would occasionally interrupt playfully and laugh-something that bothered Konata but with one polite apology after giving a surprised look she no longer didn't mind at all and somehow find a way to play off of her, letting Kuroi finish what she had to say.

"Then we went into a cosplay club where all these people were dancing and-"

"Yeah, we saw Pikachu in there right? They had the strangest costumes!" Kuroi said, giving off a short laugh. Konata decided to tease her, using every opportunity to have fun with Kuroi and show her family what kind of relationship they had.

"Yeah but didn't you want to grab its tail? You had that predatory kind of look in your eyes sensei." Somehow they managed to have a problem and solve it with barely a peep about it, an ability Sojiro noted as he listened to them tell their stories. Yutaka gleamed with questions and at first looked at Konata when she asked them, partly because they sat next to each other but also because she was more comfortable. With a slide of her green eyes, Konata was telling Yutaka to start asking Kuroi the questions and to talk to her more. And when the little girl did she was met with nothing less of a kind smile and willingness to talk. "Don't worry, no matter what the question is at least I can hear it from a cute girl like you," Kuroi said, softening the bundle of joy up. Konata raised her brows and pointed at herself. "I don't think you need to be told how cute you already know you are."

"Okay, Kuroi-san. W-what do you like most about Konata?"

"Starting with a difficult one? I'll answer it if you tell me what you like most about Minami."

"Um..." A sweet blush melted across Yutaka's face but she was more than happy to participate in the tease. She appreciated never having to feel like she had to force herself to be interesting around this stranger and having someone want to learn more about her. She found herself talking to Kuroi for the rest of dinner, mostly about Minami and herself and then about the relationship.

After the meal Kuroi and Konata took the dishes and headed towards the sink, ready to wash dishes together for the first time. With the water rising and bubbles forming, they waited a few minutes before starting, smiling, winking, and making funny faces at each other. Konata shut the facet off and began reaching for the cups to clean. "You really made a great impression with Yutaka and I think my Dad is beginning to like you more too."

"Good, I was worried maybe I was being too nice that they would notice."

"Just a little but you sure got Yutaka talking. She's taking a real shine to you Nanako, you better not cheat on me with her," Konata said, bumping her hip into Kuroi. The teacher lightly laughed before tapping one finger into the bubbles and poking the tip of Konata's nose, leaving a trace of soapy suds behind. "She's much smaller than you; it would be a hassle anyway. You're just the right size. At least I could lure you to bed with videogames and pictures."

"You can lure me to bed with anything you got," Konata seductively replied, blushing as she now concentrated on the plates. Once they washed, rinsed, dried and put up every dish they walked into the living room, the same table where they revealed they were dating and held the meeting for the important topic Konata hinted about earlier. "So, I know this seems a little set up but it's purely coincidental," she started. "But Golden Week is coming up so I want us to take a trip to Kanagawa."

"Kanagawa? There's no way you already had that in mind," Kuroi said, surprised her girlfriend would choose the place she heard only about today. Konata justified her decision by describing it as the perfect beachside town and how she wants to learn more about her teacher's time spent there. "Besides, this will be the first trip you and I can plan together. There's even a festival!"

"Well, I don't have enough money for everyone."

"Don't worry, I've been working overtime at work because I want to pay for this trip too. More like we share the price," Konata happily said. "But if money's an issue we could do something cheaper. There could things like long walks and fireworks. I just think it'll be great for us all to go away for a while and have some fun in a new town with new situations. Any of which can lead to certain, curious activities…"

Sojiro scratched his chin and glanced at Yutaka before saying, "I think it's a wonderful idea, if Kuroi-san agrees. There's nothing wrong if you do. We can simply choose something else."

"I don't have a problem if Konata is willing to share the cost. I'm surprised she wants to organize a trip just to learn more about me and have me spend more time with you guys. It's definitely a sweet thing to do, how could I refuse anyway?" the blonde said. "But I think I know what you're going to say next Sojiro-san. Yutaka would need someone to be with her as a caretaker and if it's you then this ends up being a trip just for Konata and me."

"Well, four people is a lame set up anyway so why not invite Minami too?" Konata suggested. "I'm sure she'd be cool with you and I dating, heck, she probably doesn't even know you. Or better yet…"

Kuroi had the same malevolent smile, the two now staring at innocent Yutaka. "You can use your cutesy charms to convince Minami to keep quiet about us."

"Using little girls' charms for your own advantage?" Sojiro asked. "Now you're a real Izumi! Welcome to the family, I knew it was the right choice to let you date my daughter!"

"I-I'll try…" Yutaka stuttered out, getting the house phone and hiding away in the other room. She returned with a wide smile and thumbs up, "Minami-chan says she wants to come and she doesn't mind about you guys!"

"Used your charms huh?" Kuroi and Konata darkly muttered.

"Well…Minami says she was interested in seeing you two and really weird stuff about love crossing boundaries and courage. Frankly I was a bit confused but she's coming so that's good right?"

"Perfect," Konata said. Suddenly the trip had a new objective. After discussing many of the activities they could do a knocking came from the front door. Sojiro answered it only to see his niece fly into the room, cheery as ever. "Hey everybody, my husband's working so…Kuroi-san?" Yui mumbled, stopped before she even took her shoes off. Yutaka, excited from the idea of a trip, looked at her sister and said, "We're all going on a trip to Kanagawa in Golden Week."

"Oh really?"

"_Crap!"_ Konata thought to herself.

"_Now she's going to want to invite herself to watch over us! Damn cops!"_ Kuroi mentally whispered to herself and quickly fear became fiction with the officer inviting herself and offering to pay for her own expenses. Kuroi whispered about cancelling the trip in Konata's ear but the otaku claimed of having a plan in case this happened. "So why is Kuroi going anyway?" Yui asked. "Not that it's a bad thing, just curious."

"Sojiro-san was kind enough to invite me," Kuroi countered. "Since I wouldn't be doing anything during Golden Week besides playing net games. In fact, it's getting a bit late. I better go home."

"I'll drive you to the station," Sojiro said.

"Wait," Konata said, "Could you check my homework for me for a quick second?"

"Hmm? What's this about homework?" Kuroi asked, not understanding the strange, sly tone in her student's voice. Konata repeated herself, "Could you come into _my_ room and check my _homework_?"

"Oh, yeah. You should have said so earlier!"

The two left the room, enticing Yui to follow but Sojiro distracted her by asking her anything that popped into his head like if she wanted something to eat and how her husband was doing. Konata made sure to remember to thank him later as she guided Kuroi to her room by hand; locking the door once they were inside. Invisible from Yui's watchful eye she took the liberty of standing on her toes and wrapping her arms around Kuroi, kissing her intimately. "Wow, I hate that I have to leave but this really makes me want to stay despite your cousin probably trying to eavesdrop," Kuroi whispered.

"It's a bit of a reward for being so awesome, it's also to take away your stress about Yui. Kisses are magic." Konata said.

"Well, we're going to need magic. Yui's coming on the trip with us, Yutaka kinda blew that. Maybe she's too sweet for her own good."

"Don't worry, I have a plan for just such an occasion," Konata said. With that Kuroi left the house with Sojiro, arriving home where she took a quick shower, talked online with Konata and went to sleep hoping her little otaku's plan would succeed.

The next day at school Konata dashed out of the room once the lunch bell rang, passing Kagami who was heading to her friends' class. "Where are you going Konata?"

"I got one quick thing to take care of first!"

Finding her destination, Konata busted open the classroom door. Minami and Yutaka greeted her only to see her fly by them and head towards Hiyori's desk. "How's it going Tamura-kun?"

"Oh, sempai! Looks like you came for something. How's your secret relationship going? Give me all the details!"

"How about something better?! Nanako, my family, and me are going to Kanagawa during Golden Week, wanna come? All expenses paid too," Konata explained. Hiyori quickly held her nose to prevent any sudden blood from rushing out. There had to be a catch, something awful to make up for this marvelous opportunity. "The only thing you have to do is make sure Yui doesn't bother us, make sure we don't do anything too crazy in front of her and try to stop her from following us."

"Sure, sure! Absolutely!" Hiyori instantly replied. "I wasn't going to do anything during Golden Week anyway!"

"But wait, to sweeten the deal guess who else is coming?"

"You can't be serious?!"

"That's right, Minami and Yutaka! We'll be going to the beach and festivals, sleeping at inns and taking baths together."

Hiyori held her chest and nose, feeling herself becoming an emotional tornado. She no loner was concerned with just material, it was the very idea of friendship, intimacy, secrecy, yuri, adult situations and even a small hope that somehow she could be a part of it all. "This pain in my chest…it can be good sometimes," she muttered.

"Shall I take that as a yes?" asked Konata.

"You girls are finally going to feed me what I'm owed! Let me see you cross your limits and journey together into a new world of forbidden desires," Hiyori declared, staring lustfully at Yutaka and Minami.

"She's scaring me, Minami-san." Yutaka said.

"Come into my arms if you wish, I will protect you," replied Minami.

"May the love carnival begin!" Hiyori cheered.

* * *

Author's Note: This chapter definitely had a billion paths it could go but I felt like I really edited it and adjusted the story very well. My story telling and balance setting has really improved so I'm happy and a lot more confident than I was a year ago. Send in any criticisms you have too, nobody is perfect. Even if you're one of those weird readers who read 10 whole chapters before finally deciding to release all your hatred in one big review and dropping the thing-that just doesn't seem right to me.

The story is a bit over halfway done now. It might not make it to the 24 chapters I planned it to be which is good because now I can stretch out chapters and write with more detail.


	15. Chapter 15:Enigmatic Fear

Hidden Candy

Chapter 15: Enigmatic Fear

Crickets played their legs relentlessly into the midweek night; strengthened by the utter silence of the world where a moonless sky deepened the groggy evening's settled feel in the suburban neighborhoods, almost as if there should have been noise. Family televisions and lit dinner rooms bannered the walls of houses through Kuroi's car windows as she returned home rather late tonight. The air conditioner battled the heavy humidity, according to the weatherman the spring's wet heat would be hitting for a few days. It did little to hinder her exhaustion from prying into her body.

Tonight, she returned from another cram school lesson held at the school, a job she volunteered for in seconds of hearing it. She didn't wish to spend her current savings on Konata's sudden idea for a trip so taking a temporary job for a week or two was her best option. Unfortunately it didn't mix well with her sleep schedule. Pulling into her driveway, she quickly stepped out of the car and locked it. A dim light peered through the curtains of the living room window, she expected that. Opening the door, she quickly took her shoes off and instantly detected a pleasant, warm scent cooking in her kitchen. Peeking in as she walked towards her room, she could see hamburg steak with rice and a side dish of salads almost glowing with flavor-it was freshly cooked.

Entering her room at the end of the hallway, the first thing besides the sight of a blue blob that blasted into her vision was the cranked up music screeching into her ear. "For heck's sake, turn that racket off!" Kuroi fussed with a finger in her ear, startling Konata, the blob in front of the television. The otaku quickly lowered the volume with the remote and saved her place in the game before shutting it off. She turned to her girlfriend, contrasting a face curled in frustration with a bright smile reeking of childish welcome. "You sure came back late tonight," she said.

"Well yeah, overtime isn't recess. And I come back to a hurricane."

"Sorry about that, I got a little crazy with it. I usually worry about loudness with Yutaka and my dad at home," Konata explained. "Anyway, I made dinner. It's cooling off on the table."

"I know, I know. Let me get undressed first," Kuroi said, unbuttoning her vest and hanging it back into the closet. After school Konata recommended letting her stay over at Kuroi's house to prepare dinner by the time she came back home from cram school. Agreeing, the teacher dropped her off, informing her of the extra key's location inside the house. "I'm really bushed. Those kids are merciless. You can tell the boys got something perverted cooking in their heads."

"I'm sorry about all this."

Kuroi grabbed a pair of loose clothes and stepped into the bathroom to change, leaving the teenager sitting on the bed to watch the door. Cooling off and yawning in the dressing room, the older woman scratched her neck and began changing. "No need to apologize Konata. I just didn't want to spend any part of my savings on the Kanagawa trip and it gets a bit restraining when you gotta squeeze pennies out of your paycheck."

She stepped out of the room with an oversized shirt and sweatpants, not attempting to hide the tiny curves beneath her eyes. There was little chance for sleep the previous night, she usually stayed up rather late over half the week and made it all up during the weekend. This lifestyle was altered with the inclusion of a girlfriend into her life but she was grateful and wouldn't prefer it any other way. "Let's eat!"

"Yeah, I'll fix the plates," Konata said, excitement running through her voice as she ran ahead to the kitchen. Preparing a meal for one's love interest was one of the greatest fantasies of an anime fan but she adored the feelings of anticipation racing in her chest and hoped her efforts were satisfying to Kuroi. The two sat at the dinner table and Konata fixed their plates, preparing her girlfriend's first. They both patted their hands and said "Itadakimasu" before digging in. Konata waited until the woman across from her took a first bite. A rise of intrigue in Kuroi's brow was the perfect signal. "This is delicious Konata," Kuroi said, her voice heightened with satisfaction. "You really can cook."

"My friends were surprised too. But I'm glad I could show off my true power to you," Konata said. "Shall I feed you milady?"

"I'm going to take a bath and go straight to sleep after this," Kuroi said, taking another bite of the steak before drinking a relaxing cup of sake, silently rejecting the idea. Konata lowered her chopsticks, a bit disappointed but warming with contentedness as Kuroi asked for second helpings. The two washed dishes together, something that was becoming a hobby at any house they ate at, the sink becoming a hotspot for after dinner discussion. "So obviously you're staying over tonight, you know that right?" asked the teacher. Her student nodded, drying the last of the plates. "I know, already called my dad. He says the house feels kinda empty without me. Oh, I'll need to switch into something more comfortable for bed. It's finally time for me to wear your clothes! Excitement! Super sexy!"

"Heh, you can just wear nothing ya know."

Konata playfully hummed, "Hmm?" Kuroi's eyes flashed open and she placed a hand over her mouth. "Crap, don't take that seriously! It was a slip of tongue."

"A good slip of tongue. It means you really want me huh?"

"The best DFC I know," the woman happily replied, shocked by her own words a second time. "Crap, your internet talk is slipping into me."

The otaku bumped her waist into her teacher's, "Let me melt in your mouth!"

"Cut it out." The two chuckled, almost causing a plate to slip out from the teacher's hand, the last dish waiting for its bath. Cloths were hung on the drying rack before they decided to return to the main center of the home-the bedroom. Kuroi took her bath as Konata gave herself permission to finally explore the expanses of her girlfriend's computer, an annoyance to the depleted woman stepping out of the steamy bathroom fifteen minutes later.

"Konata! Give me some privacy!"

"Sorry, sorry. Disappointing though, you don't have much to hide anyway. I was expecting some more self-pleasuring material."

"Yeah, yeah. Listen, I don't want you playing around in here while I'm trying to sleep, the tower will hum and the screens will light up. It's a real pain getting some shut eye with all that on," Kuroi warned mercilessly as she dried her hair. She could see Konata breathing out an air of disappointment but she was too weary to care, especially after such a large dinner to weigh her down. Quickly she remembered it was Konata that fixed that meal. "Sorry, probably being too fussy ain't I?"

"Just a little. But you're tired from working right? I'll go to bed early with you so can we make out first? I'll need something to keep my head busy."

"You sure don't hesitate to ask. Yeah, we can kiss a little before I go to sleep but you don't have to go to bed so early because of me. There's a television in the living room, you could plug up the playstation in there. There's also a fan in case it gets too hot and-"

The desktop started the shutdown process before Konata turned in the chair and stretched her arms out into the air. "I rather snuggle with you."

Kuroi couldn't refuse that. She tossed the towel to the side and sunk into her bed, holding the sheet high for Konata to bundle in underneath. The scent of dishwater bubbles and dinner soaked the otaku while her teacher smelled of sweet strawberries from the shampoo. "Your hair smells nice."

"And your dinner tastes good."

"Hey, what about my hair?"

"Smells like nerd. Want a kiss or not piglet?" Kuroi teased her prey before pulling her closer, starting with a kiss on the forehead. They only shared a few kisses before one long one, this was routine. The kisses would find cheeks, noses, foreheads and one time an eye. Konata knew there was lust involved-that's what she loved-but it was mostly romantic, fluffy fulfillment. She didn't complain but she began to worry if her girlfriend was holding herself back, Kuroi usually marked herself as the person that decided when the kissing would end. With any luck, the long kisses would multiply before the grand finale. It was nearly limitless joy to do such a wonderful thing with one's girlfriend, Konata just hoped soon they could take it a slight step forward. It had been a while since she used her tongue and Kuroi enjoyed holding her close but never caressed her body excluding her face and hair.

For now, the lights were shut off after two extended displays of affection-which Konata understood perfectly, Kuroi worked hard these past few days. The snuggling, unfortunately, amounted to simply keeping a head on Kuroi's chest with arms wrapped around her waist. Listening carefully, Konata became entranced with every light breath that flew out a wide-opened mouth as her teacher's chest rose and fell. "Still, this is paradise. Wouldn't ever want to lose this." Konata hummed away, falling asleep quickly. There wasn't as much turning this tonight; Kuroi was too wiped out to move.

The next week was Konata's turn to start working overtime at the cosplay café, building the second half of the Kanagawa vacation budget. Basic fees were long determined, tickets were more expensive during Golden Week but due to their large group a discount was available. Room, transportation and dinner were what the two agreed to pay for everyone joining them. Cram school ended the day before tonight, now the end of the second week of April. Kuroi decided to stay over at the Izumi household this time and prepare dinner for the family, something Konata looked forward to as her father drove her back home from the train station.

"Welcome back Konata!" Kuroi excitedly said, holding a hot tray of food. Through her restless eyes, Konata could see an iron sheet covered with pizzas. "Huh? These are all oven baked pizzas, all you have to do is toss them in and set the oven," she said.

"You know I can't cook, so enjoy this cheap meal. I gave you a lot more pepperoni than anyone else, of course I had to take some of everyone else's," explained Kuroi. Yutaka stared at her cheesy dinner, mourning the empty space where little circles of meat should have been. There was soda set for every plate. Konata pulled up a seat and began eating. "Did you cook the soda yourself too?" she playfully asked.

"Heh, slick mouth for someone who looks as ragged as you. Did you get enough sleep last night?" Kuroi asked, taking a close seat next to the dreary fog of a girl, rubbing her back. Konata smiled as she turned towards her, mixed in with the shadowed bags under her eyes-looked like a maniac. "There was that update for our game right? I had to try everything out last night so I really haven't slept at all."

"That's bad; at least you have me tonight. I get to share a teenager's little bed."

"Just as a reminder," Sojiro started, stopping when Kuroi raised a hand at chest height and smiled. "I know, no naughty business," she said. "Besides, she seems really tired so we'll just cuddle up together and call it a night."

After dinner Sojiro and Kuroi washed the dishes as Konata and Yutaka bathed together, the petite cousin volunteering to make sure her distant sister didn't tip over from drowsiness halfway. "Cuddling huh?" Sojiro slyly asked as he dried the cups. Kuroi chuckled, "Yep, cuddling. She really is an affectionate person, I assumed she was going to just want to kiss and make out all the time but she appreciates the sweet stuff too. I'm rather impressed."

"I'm glad she's taken care, I was worried she might have been over her head a little. Plus she's _my_ daughter; I know what she'd try to do with someone she's attracted to a lot. She talks about you a lot, especially to Yutaka."

"That's good, right now we're really learning about the weird and annoying parts of each other. I've been fussing a whole lot more but she's taking it well. Soon it'll all be over," Kuroi said. She seemed rather proud and resilient about the entire situation, considering his daughter worth much more valuable. The bathroom door opened and Yutaka headed off to her room while Konata waved at her teacher. Sojiro generously handled the remaining dishes, allowing Kuroi to head off to the otaku's room. He planned to keep his ear to the door later.

Konata instantly dragged herself to the bed and gave away her will to the air as she plopped under the blankets. Kuroi looked around, amazed at the hundreds of pieces of evidence that her miniature girlfriend loved anime and manga, the library of books, assembly of figures, walls hidden behind posters and a desktop screen filled with shortcuts to dating sims, videos, and other unusual application. Asking permission to board first, she explored the computer's contents for herself. "What's this? Huh? Uh oh…whoops!"

"What's going on?" Konata mumbled, not bothering to turn in the bed.

"Deleted a saved data by accident on one of your games," Kuroi said, apologizing in advance.

"What?!" Konata loudly muttered. "I guess it's okay…I have a lot to play anyway."

"Oh no…"

"What now?"

"The computer's been infected by a virus."

Groaning, the otaku leapt kicked the covers off her body and took control of the mouse, clicking her favorite antivirus program. Unfortunately the scan would take all night so she would have to keep the computer on before returning to the bed. Kuroi apologized again and decided to stay clear of any electronic devices in the room, catching sight of the figures positioned on the cabinets. "These are cute," she said, reaching for one. She pulled her hand back, realizing it wouldn't be appropriate to touch them without permission. Without warning, her hand bumped onto the shelf and a small shattering was heard from the ground. Konata rose and looked in horror as her beloved Mikuru maid figurine had lost its legs and broke in half. "Oh god Konata, I'm really, really sorry about this. It was an accident."

"She's completely shattered," Konata said, now feeling the regret of non plastic figures. She held the pieces in her hand, coming to the conclusion that not even glue could keep the moe maid in decent condition and emptied the remains into the trash bin. At the corner of her eyes she could see her girlfriend's socked feet and traced all the way up to those puppy eyes. Groaning angrily, Konata stopped. "It's okay, it's okay. I can buy another one. One little figurine is definitely not worth getting upset over."

"I'm sorry Konata. I'll pay for it myself," Kuroi suggested, happy at the assumed good decision on her part. "So don't be upset."

"Oh I'm upset; a collector like me can't help that. But I forgive you Nanako," Konata said. "You didn't mean it. Just try to be more careful next time."

"Thanks. That's real mature of you. I'll just read some manga until I get tired okay?"

Konata nodded weakly, falling back into bed. This phase in the relationship was definitely thorny but they both kept a good attitude towards each other and thought things over clearly. Denying they weren't annoyed when they were wouldn't do any good but losing their cool would make everything worst. "These mini fights aren't so bad," Kuroi said, reading the first volume of Berserk against the side of the bed. "We know a lot about what to do and not to do."

"Nanako…" Konata said. "Can you come to bed with me? I really want to hold onto to you."

"Sure, I'll just read this book while I'm in bed okay?" Getting up off the floor, Kuroi kept the lights on and squeezed into the teenager's bed, finding her feet hanging off the edge. _"She's small but I'm not! This is like sleeping in a kid's bed!"_

Konata reached for her teacher's waist and held it closely, burying her head into the soft stomach locked away under a line of fabric. She felt a hand behind her head moving up and down. It was the last sensation she felt before melting into darkness. "Good night Konata," Kuroi said, pecking her on the forehead before retrieving her location in the story.

Hearing a small beeping coming from her alarm clock, Konata awoke the next morning with her head on top of her girlfriend's chest. Looking at the time, her heart leapt immediately. She rested on her side as she shook Kuroi's shoulders. "Nanako! Nanako! We have to get ready for school! It's already this late!"

"Wha? What? Konata, what time is…oh my God! We gotta hurry up! Why didn't Yutaka wake us up?!"

"I usually wake her up! But the alarm should have sounded like it always does…unless you hit the snooze button!"

"No time for blame, wake up your cousin. You two share a bath and I'll follow afterwards." Rushing through breakfast, bathing and dressing was their start to a busy day. Getting to school a few minutes after the bell, they made sure to enter the classroom at separate times to not arouse suspicion. Konata arrived first, explaining the situation to Miyuki and Tsukasa. Kuroi purposely messed up her hair to appear messy in comparison to Konata's, hopefully making her students believe they both were late for entirely different reasons.

It was decided at lunch that they would meet each other after school in the city to begin planning the trip. At the end of school the two separated and went home to change, both taking the train at different times afterwards. Kuroi made it to the stop first, spending her time against a tree to shade her from the diligent sun hovering above. Images of the trip bubbled into her head as she closed her eyes, cutting herself off from the world around. To be honest, the trip thrilled every inch of her body and mind, making her feet want to move and her hands uncomfortable just lingering in the air. Though acting calm about it, whenever Konata and her discussed it before she couldn't resist speaking louder and faster than usual. She already created some ideas about what to do at Kanagawa, specifically with Konata.

Calling out from the darkness, Konata arrived shortly after, with three more girls in her track. After opening one green eye and exiting from the shadows, Kuroi scanned the oddly happy faced teenagers packed together with a questioning glare. She stood tall above them, except perhaps Miyuki, and the sight could only be seen as an adult scolding a herd of girls. "Konata, why are all your friends here?"  
"They could help with the trip planning. I thought it'd be good to bring as many juicy brains as possible."

"Yeah well…I guess it's okay."

"Don't worry if you didn't bring enough money, they'll pay for their own snacks and everything," Konata said. Kuroi furrowed her brow and said money wasn't an issue before they started walking. Wanting to resolve any issue quickly, the otaku trotted to her teacher's side and whispered, "Guess you wanted to spend the day with me huh? Sorry. I'll make it up to you."

"How about that Invisibility Scroll you got from that dungeon a few nights ago?" slyly suggested Kuroi as she smirked greedily, feeling a slight guilt for demanding an item her girlfriend had practically danced about finding. Konata hesitated at first but eventually agreed, already lamenting the loss from her inventory. "Well, you can have my Invisibility scroll," she started. "But then you can give it back for breaking my Mikuru maid figure last night."

"Darn it!"

A smug smile wiped across the little one's face. "All is balanced now. But I was hoping to use the broken figure as an excuse for something embarrassing." Kagami and others quietly followed, secretly listening on the conversation between the two in front of them. Crossing a few more blocks, the couple led the girls to a diner they visited on occasion whenever they passed through the district, it was only a short distance from the train station and prices low enough for a student and teacher to afford. The usual empty booths stood conveniently in every kind of spot they could ever wish for, one near the window, a table set in the center or arranged seats next to a wall. A booth for five was prepared against a wall and a short distance from the bathrooms. Kuroi and Konata usually felt secure in this establishment with little customers actually deciding to eat here, the chance of Yui or anyone else they knew catching sight of them was slim to nothing. And for personal amusement, Konata sat across from Kuroi, next to Kagami and Miyuki while telling Tsukasa to sit next to their teacher.

"Don't be scared, I won't bite you," Kuroi said.

"That fang's meant for my neck only," Konata proudly said. "Touch it and I'll pound you up Tsukasa."

"O-okay…" the Hiiragi nervously muttered.

Drinks were prepared first and lunches ordered second, giving them about twenty minutes to start creating ideas for the trip without pausing to eat. Konata pointed out the first tidbit of information, "We should try and have interchangeable and flexible days. Sometimes the group won't feel like doing certain things so it'll be better if we can just shift plans easily."

"That's a good idea," Kagami commented. "With that in mind, what do you guys want to do on the trip?"

"Definitely something romantic," Kuroi said. "It's already assumed we're going to the beach."

"There's the festival as well," Miyuki said. "You'll have to bring your yukata with you. And perhaps a day of just walking through the city might be relaxing. I'm sure even Yu-chan would be alright with that."

"Don't worry, we're bringing Minami-chan to watch over her," Konata explained. A tide of surprised surfaced across her friends' faces, reminding her to tell them Minami was now in on their relationship as well. She theorized that Yutaka's cuteness might have convinced her to keep quiet but she trusted the mint green girl's personality enough to assume such tricks weren't necessary anyway. Plus as Yutaka's cousin it kinda of felt like blackmail. "Minami-chan is an absolute necessity or else the trip would have ended up being my Dad taking care of Yu-chan while Kuroi and me had fun."

"That's understandable but who else is coming then?" Kagami asked.

"Yui and Hiyori-chan."

"That's too risky! Konata, why would you invite an officer to this kind of trip?" Kagami asked, staring with judgmental eyes humming the words _"You sure are stupid"_ over and over again. "She invited herself. Yu-chan kinda dropped the ball on that one so I invited Hiyori-chan as a countermeasure."

"As long as everything turns out alright in the end, there should be no problem. Please be careful," Miyuki said.

"We will," Kuroi said. She then turned to Tsukasa next to her, smiling in such a confusing way that any person could take it as threatening or kind. "So, Hiiragi-chan, got any ideas you wanna say?"

"Um…well…since there's going to be danger, how about taking a day to just relax and let everybody do whatever they want."

"That sounds good, that alright with you Konata?"

"Yep. All these ideas work pretty good, that's a few brain cells I don't have to use."

Kagami angrily tapped her fingers against the table. "How lazy can you be? You probably could have thought of this stuff by yourself!"

There was a deep silence. Konata then stood up and said, "Whoops, gotta use the bathroom. Pardon me."

"Don't run away!" But the otaku already left the scene, making any fussiness useless beyond this point. Kagami sighed, feeling like a tool for helping her friend be lazy to a new insane degree. "She's really ridiculous sometimes."

"What's there to get so worked up about?" Kuroi asked. "She probably just wanted you guys to hang out with me a bit more. That's probably why she's setting up this trip with her family and me anyway."

"I don't know how you can stand her sometimes."

"Well, she has her flaws like everyone else but everything about her is wonderful," Kuroi answered, already feeling a flood of memories rush into her skull. "Konata has a way of shifting things around, she really tries not to get into any fights or be too bothersome. It's easy to forgive her even when she is."

"I'm glad everything is working out so wonderfully," Miyuki said kindly. "I heard after a certain amount of time a couple might begin arguing more and it's a very dangerous time for the relationship."

"Well, that's inevitable," noted Kuroi. "But that's when you can really tell if the couple will work. But I think I was the one who really the pain in a butt. I accidentally gave her a virus the other day."

A silence instantly dropped down on the booth. Tsukasa, Kagami, and Miyuki stared in horror at their teacher who kept a chuckle about her as she said something like that so casually. "Hmm? What's wrong?" she asked.

"Y-you gave Konata a virus?" Tsukasa stuttered. "Why would you do that?"

"What? What's going on here? She scanned it and got it working."

"How do you scan a virus?" Kagami asked. "Didn't you use protection?"

"Protection? I don't know, ask Konata. That's her decision."

Miyuki was shocked to hear such a thing. In any perspective it was selfishness. "Her decision? Shouldn't it be the decision of both partners? Making…love requires the utmost care and-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. We haven't done that yet!" Kuroi quickly said, stopping any further conversation. "What are you guys talking about? I'm accidentally gave Konata a virus on her _computer_."

"Oh!" the three sang, feeling the embarrassment redden on their cheeks with their next heartbeat. Kuroi tried to guess what they were actually saying a few seconds ago, terrified of what they were actually thinking. "You thought I gave Konata an STD?"

"You did what?" Konata asked, standing at the booth, back from the restroom. The four clarified everything before anything got out of hand and in the end only Konata was able to laugh about the misunderstanding. "I guess Nanako is one of those people that can break someone else's computer just by touching it."

Fortunately the waitress came back with their lunches on a cart, asking who ordered what dish. The girls started eating once everyone received their food and the table was filled with the sounds of eating instead of awkward humming and glances that attempted to avoid all eye contact. Kuroi smiled at Kagami who glanced at her as she took a mouthful of spaghetti, it was enough to make her blush-she was aware that if no caution was taking while eating she easily looked like a pig. Tsukasa was kind enough to try and reveal this as gently as possible long ago. "Heh, you look like a little pig when you eat like that Kagami-san," Kuroi suddenly said.

"Sensei!"

"Don't worry, the boys will find that cute. At least you're not a slob."

"Oi, Nanako. Flirting with other girls right in front of me?" Konata held her chopsticks over her noodles, feigning fury. Kuroi played along and poked the otaku's nose with a meatball. "No need to worry Konata, you're too cute for me to bother like that. Can you ever forgive me?"

"I suppose. A kiss in front of all my friends would surely do the trick."

"You better stretch out for it, you're so short I'd have to extend my spine just to reach you," Kuroi said, moving over the table as soon as Konata did, kissing her softly and licking the meatball sauce off her. The girls watched with fluster, unable to take their eyes off the intimacy playing out right beside them. "Y-y-you guys can't do that!" Kagami protested. The two kissed again. "Now you're just messing with us! I can see you two are perfect for each other, you both love teasing me."

"What an ego, thinking that second kiss was just for you," Konata said. "Can't two people just simply be in love?"

"Well, teasing Kagami was half the reason right?" Kuroi replied playfully.

"Can't deny that." The two kissed again, making sure to look at their tsundere friend as they did this time, sending an explosion waiting to erupt in her face. "Oh come on!"

Throughout the meal more ideas were suggested, which Konata started to write down on a notepad. They decided to stay a little longer after clearing their plates and once everything was complete, Kuroi and Konata checked off what they wanted to do and what would fit well for everyone else coming along with them. Everyone volunteered to pay their share but their teacher decided to pay for most of it. Konata left the tip on the table before everyone stepped outside. "That was fun for just lunch," Tsukasa said. "But don't we have a lot of shopping to do?"

"Yeah, this is where we have to split," Kagami said. "Our dad is taking us to another temple owned by a relative for Golden Week. We want to buy some gifts, it's been a while."

"Oh, so that's why you all wanted to come for lunch," Kuroi said. "It was great talking to you all again. I know it can get pretty awkward since I'm much older than you all."

"Indeed." Miyuki said. The four of them looked at her, expecting some sort of elaboration on her statement but she couldn't come up with anything else to say. "I have to get back home, Minami is coming over to study."

"Sure, thanks for all the ideas guys," Konata said, waving them off as they vanished into the train station. She curved her eyes onto the woman standing next to her, giving a gentle expression of aloofness and sincerity. "We're alone now, I feel like just spending the day with you. I definitely don't want to go home so soon."

"Well I do. I still feel a bit tired after all that overtime messing up my sleeping schedule." Konata responded with risen eyebrows and a pathetic, shrunken smile. "Okay, I'll hang out with you a little longer. What do you want to do then?"

"Let's just walk around, we'll find something."

The city began to cool down compared to when they arrived earlier, making their walk more delightful and the scent of passing bakeries and stands refreshed them both, giving their walking pace a kick in speed. Konata walked into a convenience store to purchase a plain donut, tearing off a few pieces to feed to the local pigeons. "You know, I've never seen you eat that many sweets," she said. "Don't you have a sweet tooth?"

"Sometimes. I usually like something filling and tastier like meat and fried stuff. I'm alright with dessert every now and then so don't hesitate to make me something."

"What a pig," Konata said, tossing some donut crumbs at the woman's feet.

"You don't expect me to eat that do you?"

"Feed my pretty, this is all I have for now."

Kuroi rubbed the top of Konata's head and pull it closer to her own, peacefully sighing as they stood still under the shade of a few trees. Continuing their walk shortly after, cars and people were becoming fewer in sight and they found themselves in a quiet neighborhood. "Hey, look! There's a playground," Konata said, pointing it out from afar.

"And what do you expect us to do with it?" Kuroi asked.

"Play in it. Come on!"

Konata ran off ahead, checking the street for traffic before crossing and standing in front of the vacant grounds. Kuroi stayed at her current spot for a minute before agreeing to go along with such an idea, walking up to Konata with an unsure frown on her face. "It's obvious I'm into a rather young girl but I'm not that hyped up for something this young."

"It's alright, the swings are for all ages aren't they?"

"So you want the swings huh? I'll push you for a while."

Konata thanked her quickly before sitting down and gripping onto the chains. Kuroi began to gently push her, watching her legs kick back and forth to increase the momentum. A satisfied laugh came from the otaku as she started rambling about becoming sky king and piercing for the heavens. The entire scene reminded her teacher of something that occurred a while ago. It was when she had her special time of the month, making her cranky. Konata was surprised by the change in attitude but didn't shy away from her, not letting it make her uncomfortable. Kuroi proudly said, "It's a good sign. I can still have babies; my clock hasn't rusted over yet!"

The words were now ringing back to her like an alarm. Having children was an uncertain issue and something she wanted to decide on later, there was too much fun to have in life before settling down and she wanted to experience it all. Thoughts of just the word "future" were what sent her heart racing. Watching Konata swing through the air from the sidelines made her remember that the teenager was too young for such serious contemplation, still having a long life ahead of her. Children, career, living conditions, these were all things that probably wouldn't affect her until much later. _"We haven't even had sex yet,"_ she thought to herself. _"We both want to but something's stopping us. I know it's me."_

"_My biological clock still has a while before it ticks but what about Konata? Her emotional clock could change any day and even stop…Personality can change with age and I know she'll live a long, healthy life."_

"Nanako, come swing with me," Konata happily asked.

"Sure, I'll stand and you can sit on the swing," Kuroi said, putting her feet on the seat and grabbing onto the chains beside her face. Konata pulled the swing back with her feet and let go, started at a gentle speed. She kept raising her legs and sent the two higher with every kick. Kuroi closed her eyes and let the breeze blow through her hair, feeling the warm girl against her legs. For some odd reason they were both laughing, simply excited doing something like this together. _"Well, Sojiro hasn't changed that much from a teenager and Konata is kinda similar to him."_

Suddenly those bright, green eyes from below stared straight up towards her own. "Nanako, can I sit in your lap?" she asked.

"My lap? Yeah, I've been standing for a while now anyway."

Lowering down carefully, she took her seat and told Konata it was alright to sit down now, feeling her press up against her chest and stomach very closely. "You're feel a bit chilly," Kuroi said. "You want my coat?"

"No, it's alright. I'm fine. This is enough for me."

"Is something bothering you? You seem a bit quiet Konata."

"It's nothing bad, just thinking about you and me. We're really close now aren't we?" she asked.

"Yeah, it's only been a few months too. And when you graduate…" She couldn't finish past those words, like her mind was telling her not to wander into unknown territory. Konata didn't notice and reminded her that they needed to start swinging. "Nanako…I just wanted to tell you something," she said, the wind blow past them both. "You're…you're special to me."

"I know Konata. You make it easy for me to know that."

"I mean it. You're really, really special to me. I'm prepared for any problems we might face so…if you have anything you want to talk about, I can handle it," Konata said.

Kuroi understood the hidden message. _"Nanako, you've been quiet and a little odd recently. Talk to me" _is what was sent to her. The two swung through the air, silent for a few seconds. "Konata…whatever issue I may have…let's just say, I know with you by my side everything will be okay."

"Can I have a straightforward answer?"

"…I'm sorry. Just wait for me Konata, okay? I…I'm really trying too because you're too special for me to give up either."

The swinging came to a complete halt. Kuroi jammed her feet against the sand and Konata bounced off and back onto her teacher's chest, finding herself being hugged without a warning. "Don't ever think I don't feel that way about you," Kuroi said. "I may restrain myself a little but it's because I care about you, don't ever doubt that. So…please just wait."

Konata gripped onto the hands around her, bringing them closer to her. "I'll wait. Like I said, you're really special to me. Irreplaceable."

Kuroi decided, with those words caressing her mind, to make the Kanagawa trip special, to try and break these restraints and give herself entirely to Konata. There was nothing logical about how they formed a relationship and little sense used to justify it but that was a wonderful quirk. The only thing they would need to work on is maintaining it and Kuroi knew there was a chance she might be the only factor that could screw that up, not because of any hidden displeasure, but because of fear-a fear she might not want to see.

Author's Note: We're getting to a major part of the story and I hope the intimacy formed between Konata and Kuroi doesn't feel rushed but they see each other pretty often and it has been a few months. I already got the ending worked out for this story and hopefully I can update faster as I am getting excited now. The Kanagawa trip might last two chapters and after that the final chapters will pretty much come into place.


	16. Chapter 16:Return of Change

Hidden Candy

Chapter 16: Return to Change

A surprisingly silent and breezy afternoon held the air the day after Golden Week had started-an almost abnormal eye of the storm serenity-despite all expectations of released students crowding the cities with money to spend, sidewalks packed with young love and empty schools with cars locked into the parking lot for the few unfortunate employees forced to work over the break. Kuroi was glad she worked through all the papers at her desk and graded every assignment that needed to be graded, allowing her just as much time as her students to enjoy the vacation. Konata sat beside her in the car with Yutaka in the back, all waiting for Minami to come walking out of the house with her duffle bag.

The stoic green mint girl tossed in the car bag first, flinching at the lack of distance between her and Yutaka. Her glowing blue eyes immediately caught the strange sight of the blonde teacher at the wheel upfront, noting how unusual the set up truly was in person. She greeted everyone and thanked them for allowing her on the trip, wanting to toss aside any awkward questions and looks now. Kuroi and Konata's relationship was a phenomenon she wanted to observe for personal reasons and interference would only be trouble.

"Alright! To the train station so this vacation can finally start!" Kuroi cheered with a clenched fist out the window and towards the sky, quietly driving the car away from the front of the Iwasaki household. "I'm really excited about this trip," Konata said. "You sure you're alright with Nanako and I dating Minami? I know we're kinda holding Yutaka hostage and all so you probably aren't saying what you want to say."

"Minami isn't like that," Yutaka defended, uncertain of how to react to her sister's intrigued smile and moan. The sight of a princess protecting her prince was indeed interesting; the otaku would have to feed it to Hiyori later.

"I'm very interested in you two," the slim young lady replied, smiling a small smile with acceptance and content, of what Konata couldn't tell. The feeling that she was being watched over gave her some suspicions but she preferred to perceive that as a watchful trait of Minami's role as guardian. "You two are bridging a rather large gap."

It sounded like a compliment, words of encouragement this time. Konata was satisfied with the answer and decided to not pry any further. She wanted her little cousin to enjoy this trip with her pseudo lover as much as she planned to enjoy it with Kuroi, giving a thrilled grin to her teacher who instantly returned the gesture, the two somehow able to ignore the sudden chatter behind them.

The group arrived at the train station shortly after, meeting up with Yui, Sojiro and Hiyori who all leaned back against the officer's car. Everyone greeted each other politely and thanked the couple for the trip before entering the air conditioned building, a place so quiet and void of life they began to think they were the only ones going to ride the train. Yui quickly announced she would be sitting next to Konata, her first attempt to trouble the student and teacher relationship. "Sorry," Kuroi said. "This student of mine is sitting next to me. Some discussion about her grades are necessary."

Hiyori watched with intrigue at what might occur but recalled that it was her duty to deter Yui's silent investigation. "That's good; it means I can sit with you Kobayakawa-san. I'm really interested in hearing about police work for some stories I'm planning."

"I guess…" Yui, hands on her hips.

"Besides," Kuroi said, "your ticket pretty much puts you the furthest away from the rest of us, right next to Sojiro-kun."

"Yeah, sorry Hiyori," Konata said in amusement, "You'll have to bear with sitting next to Minami and Yutaka."

The artist's face lit up with excitement and as the train pulled in, she waited until the rest of them boarded before pulling Konata to the side. "Thank you so much!"

"No problem, it's the least we can do," the petite otaku said. "But Nanako's and my seats are right in front of you guys so if you're gonna spy on us do it quietly."

"I promise! I promise!"

"Hurry up Konata so we can put up the luggage," Kuroi called out. The two teens boarded the train, joining the rest of the party with their luggage following behind them. Hiyori stopped to jot something on her notepad as she observed Yutaka's protector helping her with a small book bag in the same fashion a scientist records the behavior of animals but with a lustful twist to the deed. There was the sound of thin boxes clattering inside, only the Izumi family and Minami recognized it as evidence that Yutaka packed her medicine. Konata began to lift her suitcase to the racks above, feeling a hand creep under it and helping lift it to the top. "Don't pack your bodyweight in luggage," Kuroi said, chuckling.

"Thanks. I'm strong but too petite for modern society. Not exactly nubile though," Konata said. Kuroi kissed her on the forehead, "You're just perfect the way you are. Besides, you've got a giant at your side, little pixie."

"A new nickname for every day," Konata said. "I need to start thinking of some for you like…cobra or maybe your old delinquent name would fit, Snake Nana!."

"Actually I would prefer it if you didn't call me that," Kuroi said, making sure to sound as kind and calm as possible to not seem offended. "It's just that-"

"You don't have to explain it to me, you don't want me to call you that so that's reason enough," Konata replied. "Besides, I've mastered you enough to know what you're thinking."

"Well, aren't you talented?" said Kuroi, rubbing the little girl's head and thanking her, suggesting they sit down once the train began to move. The otaku took the window spot, looking through the screen as the world outside began to slowly pick up speed against her vision. In her head she began thinking random thoughts as she always did on long trips, something Kuroi picked up on much to her surprise. Konata didn't have too many odd habits besides her otaku interests and she was so keen on observing people that her teacher felt a sort of pride for finally catching something about her girlfriend. "So," she started slyly, resting her chin on one palm, her elbow on the armrest. "Besides staring out the window and looking cute what else do you plan to do to entertain yourself?"

"Oh you, my mistress says the most adventurous things sometimes," Konata playfully replied, speaking with a high pitch in her voice. She pulled out her Nintendo DS from the small book bag at her feet, switching it on to reveal a new Final Fantasy game. Kuroi only had a book and a small bottle of sake at her side, met with a disapproving inverted smile from her girlfriend. "You're going to get drunk on the train?"

"I told you before I'm no drunkard. This will just make me tired, hopefully tired enough to go to sleep and rest on a certain someone's lap," the teacher explained, not completely satisfied with her decision, wishing she had brought something more entertaining for the ride. "Well," said Konata, returning to her bag. "If you want something else to keep you busy I got you a little present one day after work. I've been waiting till today so…"

"A present from Akiba? This can't be good," Kuroi said, receiving a small box in her hands. She flipped it over to identify the product. "A Nintendo Ds?"

"I hope you like it, I remembered when you and I went on that trip a few months ago and we were taking turns playing mine. I thought it'd be nice for the trip and-"

"It is, it really is. Thank you Konata," Kuroi sweetly said, leaning over her seat's boundaries and pressing her lips against the miniature student of hers. "I lo…"

She bit her tongue. "I really love the gift; I can't wait to play it." Konata pulled out a case, brimming with what appeared to be small computer chips. "I brought my arsenal of games to choose from, just don't erase my data."

Shaking off a mild discomfort from her cut off sentence, Kuroi blinked a few times and refocused on the conversation before she reached for the games, scanning over which one to start with. "That's good. Thanks for all this. You know we really haven't celebrated any anniversaries like a typical couple; maybe this trip can count as one," the teacher said as she popped the game in. "How long have we been dating? Since the middle of winter?"

"That sounds right. I think it's been since January so I guess almost five months now. Nearly half a year," Konata cheered, truly soaking in the amount of time. Kuroi did the same, growing silent as her heart brewed something she couldn't identify, an unusual misery dancing with the greatest joy. "Five months…it feels like longer. Not that I'm complaining, not at all. The time I've spent with you so far has really made me happy," Kuroi said. "I still can't believe this is all working out so well. It feels like something bad should happen to even everything out."

"Yeah, something horrible!" Konata said, snorting with laughter alongside her teacher. They quickly paused and stared at each other. "Crap, something bad is definitely going to happen now, we jinxed it!"

"Crap! When we get to the inn just pray a lot!" Kuroi suggested. "That'll make it go away right?"

"Maybe this train will just roll off the tracks and tumble down a cliff, crushing us all," monotonously foreshadowed Konata. Kuroi listened in horror, playing the catastrophe in her head, gripping onto her seat. "Don't say stuff like that!"

Minami kept her eyes glued to the scene through the cracks in the seat, turning a gentle red before turning to Yutaka who busied herself with the window like her cousin originally planned. Next to her, Minami could hear a sort of chanting. "Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss! Just make out!"

"Hiyori?"

"Oh, don't pay attention to what I'm saying. Just some well wishes for the couple in front of us," Hiyori said, pulling out her notepad to write another idea down. A few seats closer to the end of the car, Yui miserably stared at the seat in front of her occupied by strangers, attempting to think of some way to catch Konata and Kuroi. Constantly getting up and sitting back down would only be suspicious and inconvenient and she had the feeling she was the only one who didn't approve of the entire thing. Sojiro trusted Konata generously, though to be fair she earned that feeling. He didn't seem too worried anyway, seeing as how he occupied his time with typing a new story on his laptop. Just with a few tired peeks, Yui could tell it wasn't the kind of genre for the mainstream public. "I'm surprised those kinds of books sell well," she commented.

"It's all a matter of choosing the right publisher for me," he explained. "I just wished I had someone else besides my daughter to give me some feedback on this."

"You let Konata read that stuff?! Well, she does a lot of weird things doesn't she?"

"I'll read it," Hiyori said, standing next to the two. Sojiro looked up at her, surprised by the suggestion. He had heard quite a few interesting things about her personality from his daughter so he decided it was okay. "I'm grateful for the offer; please give me your honest opinion."

She was handed his laptop, "I'm already a fan, Konata's showed me some of your works already. But don't worry, I'll try to be as unbiased as I can."

"You've read my stories? Tamura-san, please make sure Konata isn't showing anything weird to Yutaka."

"I'll try."

"Oh dear…Yutaka's pure. I wonder if I should uphold stricter limits."

Yui looked with an unmasked irritation. "You already seem to have no limits to what the law says anyway."

"Well, you know what they say. Even if you try your hardest your children will encounter all the bad stuff anyway. Might as well let them grow in a healthy environment."

Returning to her seat, Hiyori excitedly started to read the Microsoft Word document, making sure not even Minami would get a sufficient peek at the material. Unable to amuse herself with anything, the green haired girl continued spying on the mixed couple at her front. Konata and Kuroi were now leaning against each other, playing whatever games they had chosen. They would occasionally move about, cuddling their chins and cheeks into the other's arm or shoulders and one time they even managed to play back to back. She once again stared at Yutaka, replaying the scene with different actors.

It took another half hour for lunch to be served; something Minami could hear Hiyori calling an important event. Those words flamed with hunger, but she felt as if it wasn't the typical hunger one finds in their stomach. The artist spent most of her time barely looking at her plate, instead concentrating on Konata and Kuroi like her friend had.

"Hmm…they already put ginger on the sashimi," Konata said, looking unpleasantly at the dish. "Do you want it Nanako?"

"Sure, here, you can have my biscuit. Just tell me if you want any butter."

"Thanks. Oh, could I have a taste of your Kaarage; I've never eaten any before."

Kuroi cut a piece off and raised her fork into the air. "Really? I guess this isn't really that common. Here, open wide." Carefully, she guided the food into Konata's mouth. "How is it?"

"A bit disappointing, I know a few people who just love this stuff."

Hiyori began shivering, unsure if there was drool or just sauce slipping beyond her lips, she couldn't even tell if her mouth was open or not. "They're practically eating off the same plate!! Good God, this is amazing!"

Minami turned to Yutaka. "Is there anything you don't want to eat? I can take it off your hands for you."

"No thanks. I want to eat as much as I can so my body can grow stronger."

Minami quickly returned to her plate, speechless and struck with awe. Hiyori gave her shoulder a sympathetic pat. "I know, I know. How can you fight such a vibrant spirit?"

"You two are literally sharing one big meal," Yui said, appearing next to her cousin and her best friend, standing in the walkway with her arm resting on top of the seat. She decided to take a brief break from sitting to check on the pair. "Should a teacher really be feeding her students?"

"Oh Yui, you're such a big kidder!" Kuroi said.

"Huh?"

"It's a teacher's job to allow her students to experience new things, besides I'm sure her mouth is plenty clean. It's a shame you never let your little cousin try Kaarage before."

"Just making sure you two aren't kissing or anything, Konata's pretty cute isn't she?" slyly asked Yui. Her friend just smiled and said, "She's definitely adorable but what are you trying to suggest? Like I've said the singles life is really my cup of tea."

"How you and I go out for some drinks later then, it's been a while."

"You're right; we really should Yui-chan. I miss your company a lot and I want to apologize for not keeping up our weekly meetings at the bar and hanging out at night. You're one of my best friends so how about tonight?"

"W-wow. Really? Yeah, I'd loved to." Yui answered, it was a perfect chance to keep her away from Konata and it also gave her back some of the cherished time with her recently distant friend. Turning around, the officer began walking back towards her seat. Hiyori handed her Sojiro's laptop, asking if she could return to him. "My review is at the bottom of the page."

"Sure thing." She then caught a glimpse of Minami cleaning Yutaka's face with a napkin. _"Everybody on this train is either a lesbian or a pervert. What is going on here? Wait…Tamura-san might be bisexual. Wait…why does that concern me?!"_

Konata stood on her knees and watched the back of the car, making certain her cousin returned to her seat in the distance. "Coast's clear." She returned on her bottom and Kuroi caressed her cheeks, kissing her girlfriend gently as she found her fingers beginning to run through the blue paradise of hair. "We should probably keep the lovey dovey stuff to a minimum until we get to the inn. Yui's catching onto us," Kuroi suggested.

"You're right, how many excuses can we wing before she has some evidence?"

The stewards began clean up minutes later, taking away the dishes from every seat and offering desserts to which most declined. Kuroi found herself getting tired anyway, not wanting to admit she was childishly too excited last night to get much sleep. Giving in to her swaying vision she rested her eyes and began her descent to Konata's side. The otaku played away at her DS, raising her arms up to let her girlfriend slide into her lap. Unfortunately Kuroi's head hit the side of the wall instead, making her let out an "OW!" before returning to sleep. Konata looked around with a slight panic, wondering what to do. For now, she settled for rubbing the woman's head and giving a magic kiss that would hopefully make the pain go away.

Hiyori began to notice Minami was following the same pattern, battling against sleep with only a few mere winks. At least she could look forward to the potential scene of Yutaka bravely trying to hold up her friend's heavier body, fighting to keep her comfortable with the feeling of wanting to payback the tall girl for all her generosity and kindness. Instead Minami fell over on Hiyori, ruining every plan. "Iwasaki-kun…I'm getting all flustered."

"Minami's sleeping? Maybe she can rest on my lap," Yutaka offered.

"No! I mean…sure," Hiyori said, carefully passing the weary body to her friend. _"It's all for the sake of art. An artist can't be too entranced with her subjects!"_

Clearing past farmlands, cities of varying gray and white buildings and a short rainy change in weather, the train arrived at the beachside town where the summer sun was previewing itself to the world before the seasons changed. Konata gently nudged her teacher awake. "Huh? We're here?" Kuroi tiredly muttered. For a reason unknown to her she rubbed her head, feeling like someone had struck her in her sleep. The luggage was taken care of almost in reverse of how it was put up on the racks, with the taller women helping the smaller women pulling everything down. Konata led the expedition off the locomotive and ran quickly to the staircase that would lead upwards to what Kuroi said was a magnificent overview of the town.

Once everybody checked to make certain everything was taken off board, they followed the young girl to the top of the staircase, feeling a comforting heat melt away the coolness glued to their skin from the train. Almost as if to say, "Look at my beauty, can't you just imagine the town itself too?" a blue bird tipped with red feathers and a white underbelly flew from the lively green grass in front of the group, returning to a tree across the road. Everybody shaded their eyes with one hand and felt their mouths slip away in amazement. The ocean sparkled, like a banner of stars when you couldn't watch the night. Seagulls flew over the cluttered yet beautiful town where the well spread crowds never threatened a rush or lack of elbow room, a park nearby lit with the voices of children mixing in with the gentle splash of waves against the sand over a hundred feet below the hill Konata and the others found themselves on.

A bus stop stood at the side of the road so they decided to wait there and boarded the surprisingly clean and hardly occupied vehicle when it arrived. Everybody's attention kept to the windows, soaking up the area's serene sounds, natural scents debating with the cooked aromas and the expansive beach that lured out the residents like candy to a herd of children. "This place is amazing," Konata said, seeing the calm look of nostalgia on her teacher's face, the older woman who stretched an arm over the seats and shared the same window. "It really is," Kuroi said. "A lot of things happened here for me. The children I met here…I taught them so much, almost everything I knew. I wish I could see what kind of people they turned out to be."

"Is that what got you into teaching?"

"Yeah, knowing someone wanted to learn something, a mind and heart hungry for knowledge and helping them guide themselves through life with every challenge they meet and task their given, always keeping yourself open and forming a close bond that can influence you for life. I always wanted a teacher like that, someone who gave a damn and went the extra mile. I wanted to be someone the kids could take something from and let it grow in their own way. Sorry, I'm sounding a bit overly passionate aren't I?"

Konata didn't respond as quickly as usual, she found her eyes locked in a single line of attention towards her girlfriend, her ears blocking the rest of the world. "No…that's really amazing, to hear something like that come from your lips Nanako."

"Konata?"

"I'm glad you found something amazing like that," Konata said, her words as innocent as a child's. She returned to the sights of the town, leaving the both of them in a transitional silence. The bus found its stop a few feet from the main entrance of the town in a manner of minutes. Conveniently most of the inns, restaurants and shops designed for tourists were located near this point. Kuroi recognized the inn and took the role of leader. The Dolphin Hope inn easily stood out with its sign of playful sea creatures hanging over the front door, the surrounding businesses only had posters mostly aimed for sales.

Kuroi spoke to the clerk and received the keys to the rooms, passing them to everyone before they followed the young woman at the desk to their designated quarters. The first room was Konata's and Kuroi's. Turning to her cousin, Konata prepared her excuse. "Sorry Yui-chan, I don't want to share a room with my dad and he might do something funny if Kuroi-sensei's with him."

"Yes, I'm quite the pervert but family's off limits," Sojiro nervously said, helping Konata's argument but disliking the image he was now forced to shine in front of everyone. Hiyori, Yutaka and Minami would be sharing a large room together and Yui was stuck with her uncle. "Sorry if I impose on you guys, I know I'm sort of the oddball here," the artist said to her subjects. Minami and Yutaka shook their heads, "We're happy to have you."

"Now that's all settled let's hop into our rooms!" Konata said, pushing Kuroi into their private chambers and making certain the door was locked. There wasn't a moment of hesitation before the crafty otaku curled her way onto her teacher's chest, stretching upwards to meet with her lips, closing her in with two small arms. "Not gonna wait huh?" Kuroi asked, painted a bright red in the cheeks. "Can't help it," explained her student, kissing at the long neck above her. "I'm so excited, you're my girlfriend, you're so sexy, we're finally on a trip together, we've been on a train for too many hours and all that stuff on the bus you said got me going. Your brain is such a turn on."

"That's frankly a tad bit disturbing when said out loud Konata," Kuroi said, putting aside the weirdness to fully participate in the bodily assault against her. Her smoothly curved hands reached around the petite body against her and pulled her higher to melt away when their faces met. A bra touched the side of her hands, tempting her fingers to snap it open and simply rip off everything Konata was wearing. She pinched the back of the strap and was about to release the alluringly soft chest of the otaku until she felt a shock to her system. "Maybe we should put all this kissing on hold for now," she suddenly recommended. "We need to unpack after all and get the room set up."

"You're right; besides, you were getting a bit frisky with my bra. I knew wearing one would get you all riled up."

"It's a shame I can't tell the difference between you wearing a bra and you not wearing a bra. You must be flat like mirror glass," Kuroi teased, arms folded in satisfaction of her own joke. Konata countered by unlocking her bra and pulling it out from her collar, spinning it around her neck as she looked back seductively at her teacher. She then tied it around her head. "Cat ears!"

"You just ruined a sexy mood." Kuroi sharply replied, opening the closet and hanging up most of her clothes. "Anyway, we should check if everyone wants to go to the beach today. It's still pretty early in the day so they might have some energy they wanna burn off, I know I do."

Konata stood next to her, mimicking the same action, hanging up a few unusual costumes in plain sight. "Uh…Konata, exactly who's going to be wearing that kind of stuff? A school swimsuit? Cat ears and tails? Your pajamas look too frilly and…cutesy. What kind of night are you planning?"

"Well, a girl's got her needs. The school swimsuit is for you. It'll be perfect for the beach!" Konata declared, nervous but resilient enough to give out such a bold and sexual request, she looked up towards her teacher with a pleading yet perverted glow in her eyes. Explanations of how it was an otaku's fetish and what not failed to reach Kuroi's ears but she was convinced to at least considering modeling it for her one day. "And let's leave it at that, besides the beach is for cleavage. Don't you want to gander at ya teacher's goods?"

"Gander I will my sexy Nanako! An inn this nice is just asking to have a few hot scenes play out. And the town is really lovely, it's a good thing I let you pick most of the good sights."

The last few shirts and pants were placed on the hangers before Kuroi picked up the sake from the train ride and sat at the table with Konata across from her. The afternoon sun hit them both from the window. "This is my second time staying at this inn you know. When I came here after graduation on my journey to nowhere I pretty much just slept here. Even met a weird lady in the baths."

"What happened?"

"She was kind of obsessed with being a goody two shoes but that sure didn't match her attitude. All she did was complain and whine about how hard life was for her I just left the baths before I hit her or something. I hate it when people always forget the good times when things just get a little bad or annoying. So many things get ruined that way."

Konata held her feet as she sat with one leg overlapping the other, paying attention and watching closely as her teacher let the alcohol flow into her mouth. A gleam of feelings shone in those sharp, snake eyes, a sight this town seemed to flared up. The trip was suggested for multiple reasons but the top objective was to learn about Kuroi's time here as a teenager, when she drove here in search of herself after graduation. It always felt like there was something more to the teacher despite how much Konata already knew.

The blonde woman continued, looking out the glass screen at the trees from the inn's garden. "She even came to my room afterwards to apologize and ask what she did wrong. I told her exactly what she did wrong and I was surprised she didn't get upset. She actually wanted to talk to me a lot more and hear my opinion about things. It felt nice to be appreciated like that."

"I know what you mean. I'm not bragging or anything like that but there have been times when I think I've helped some of my friends just by listening and telling them my honest feelings. I probably creep them out or confuse them with all my weirdness sometimes but it's because of my weirdness they can ask me certain things. That woman you met probably wanted a direct and blunt opinion and you were perfect to give to her," Konata said.

"That's pretty good, I almost feel like giving you a taste of my sake for such wisdom. But no drunken cuteness until you're old enough. I can't wait to ravage you then!" cheered the older woman, taking an excited sip of her drink. The image of a tumbling, nerdy, giggling, and petite otaku pleased her to no end. "Speaking of fun, go ahead and ask everybody if they want to go to the beach. I think there's a phone on that desk."

"Sure thing." Konata picked up the phone and began talking to Yui first, then Hiyori and the others. Kuroi finished what she could of her drink, staring out the window. Mental videos of her chasing those kids, punching a few people out and hanging out around town pleasantly toasted her face. In the background she could tell when Konata was talking with Hiyori, her girlfriend let out a few goofy chuckles and grins. "Cute, portable nerd," Kuroi said, toasting her cup to the girl.

"Everyone'll be ready in about an hour. Yutaka wants to make sure she has everything ready and my dad needs to adjust his camera," Konata explained.

"Good, I bought a new bikini just to show off to you, you know."

"I did the same thing. No more school uniform for me, it's time to graduate to a two piece!" Konata said, showing it off from her bag. She hardly noticed when the blonde woman snuck up on her and placed her warm hands on her stomach. "A bikini for someone as flat as you, you must be showing off that sweet belly of yours then," Kuroi teased, playing the smooth front like a piano, hearing those cute laughs pop from Konata's mouth. "What's wrong? Talking about bellies and not expecting be to not wanna play with it? You're going to get tickled till you die."

"No! Have mer-pwahahaha!!!"

"I should bite that ahoge you bounce around too. It must be an antenna to pick up on some of that cuteness you have."

Through her heavy laughing, Konata managed to turn around and reach for Kuroi's ribs, brushing them rapidly and softly, making her fall back onto the ground with Konata following in her grip. The tickling stopped so they could catch their breath, still smiling as the smaller girl wrapped an arm around her teacher as she rested on her shoulder. _"So,"_ Kuroi thought to herself, lying there panting, her heart racing with pleasure and Konata resting beside her, looking at the same roof she did all those years ago. _"I return to the town that changed my life so much with the girl that somehow has done the same thing. I'm still growing and changing too huh? And it feels so wonderful."_

Author's Note: Sorry about the long time between updates, I was working on my classes but they are finished now so I can update plenty, especially since I have outlined the entire story.


	17. Chapter 17:Part Heaven, Part Hell

Hidden Candy

Chapter 17: Part Heaven, Part Hell

Konata had already changed into her flat bikini the second everyone agreed to a day on the beach, shortly falling asleep on the floor right after, letting out short and quiet breaths. Kuroi looked with amusement as she walked up to the fallen teenager, assuming she wasn't the only who had stayed up most of the night in excitement. The childish side of her girlfriend radiated occasionally, whenever something amazingly fun was about to occur, whenever they went somewhere active, that wonderful quality seemed to leak with every anticipative smile she gave off. The older woman was relieved that side of her girlfriend was reserved for certain moments, there seemed to be a fair balance between every mood and behavior Konata masterfully wielded. And like a child, it was nice to simply watch her sleeping peacefully. Kuroi rubbed the blue bush of hair, "It's nice to hear you keep your yap shut for a while…just for a while though."

There was still roughly an hour before everyone would head to the beach so Kuroi decided to put on a blue cap and some pants and take a quick glance at the town. She kissed the sleeping otaku before leaving the room, making sure to inform Yui and Sojiro where she was going as well. Spring season meant nothing once she left the inn's cooled interior, the title simply losing its meaning under the blazing orb of fire above. She was glad she put sunscreen on beforehand.

The small town remained practically the same since Kuroi's short stay nearly a decade ago; she felt an endearing nostalgia when catching a glimpse of the old ramen stand still cooking away. Entering under the shade, she greeted the round bellied cook and ordered a medium bowl. It took only a few minutes to prepare it and undoubtedly tasted as well as it looked. She paid him and began eating, smiling with patience. "Hey," said the gruff, friendly voiced man. "Do I know you?"

"Yeah, Takano-san. It's me, Kuroi," she pleasantly said, glad he managed to recognize her. "Can't remember me, it's only been nine years."

"You taking me for an idiot? Of course I remember you, you rowdy punk!" he said, bellowing with laughter, swiping his apron to make himself more presentable. "My daughter knows how to swim _and_ pick a lock because of you. What are you doing back here after so long?"

She slurped up a few streams of noodles before continuing. "Your ramen hasn't changed much, I guess that's good. That must mean business is well. As for me, I'm a high school teacher. My girlfriend wanted to come here and see the city where I spent most of my summer. I remember imagining my parents' worried faces, wondering if I'd ever come back. How are the kids? Little Aya-chan?"

"Good, good. Unfortunately Natsu-kun died in a bus accident up in the mountains a few years back. We tried to inform you but we had no idea where you went after that summer," said Takano. "But many of them moved to the city for the better schooling. They should be in their final years, getting ready for college. How's things with your girlfriend?"

"Absolutely great, she's really a phenomenal girl, real little too," Kuroi sweetly said, blushing over the steaming bowl of thinning noodles. She made sure to pick up a lot of the meat, savoring the fried texture and oily taste. The chef took the bowl once she was finished, poking the air with the rim to ask if she wanted a refill. Kuroi had had enough for today and waved a rejection. "A little girl huh? How short is she for you to say that?" Takano asked, heading towards the sink.

"She's a senior in high school…I know it's a bit strange, she would have fitted into that gang of kids I messed around with here. I was worried if it would really work out between us at first but now…I can't really see myself with anyone else. Even the small arguments we have are great and it's becoming fun with all the little irritations and pleasures all working perfectly together."

"Sounds good. Do you love her?"

She paused, only a breath's length. The question sounded familiar, but only she had asked it to herself. The answer seemed so simple a part of her expected him to already know the answer, as it were a law of nature. "Of course, with all my heart," she said. "I've never really met anyone like her, everything works so well between us, the bad, the good, the in between, it's just that I…I just…" Her voice began to retreat. "Never mind. There's still a lot we need to learn about each other so everything'll work out. I should probably be heading back to the inn now; it was great talking to you after so long Takano-san."

"Right back at ya, Kuroi-chan. Good luck with your girlfriend!"

"Yeah…"

Cutting the supposedly free hour she had to explore the town short, she instead spent it on walking slowly back to her room with the topic of her thoughts still lazing about on the floor in slumber That conversation between her and Takano replayed repeatedly in her head, specifically those few words. _"Of course, with all my heart."_

Kuroi's fingers pressed over her heart, feeling the powerful drumming beneath her chest. Her mind felt like a leaf simply floating in a calm river yet her hands and legs trembled excitedly. "Good God…I love her. I love her so much. I love Konata. I've been in love before but not like this. I love her. I gotta sit down," she muttered to herself, realizing she had traveled much faster than she expected. That single word looped across her lips, even as she sat dropped onto a nearby bench, glad she was the only one occupying it. She began tapping her fingers against each other, watching the ground around her shoes. "Love, love, love. I love her. This is unbelievable…Why am I saying it so much? People probably think I'm going crazy or maybe I am. But that's good right? I'm in love, I'm in love. I want to shout it out, I want to get naked and shout it out…wait, now _that's_ crazy. But I…"

She caught herself rambling and put a halt to the behavior, taking a few long breaths to somehow settle herself. Pinching her hand, Kuroi popped her head back over the seat and stared at the sky, finding it meaningless and unnecessary in comparison to this bizarre joy thumping against both mind and heart. Hands and feet tapping and moving about, she couldn't stop anything from moving and working in her body. "This is silly…I've fallen in love with Konata…much earlier than today," she said. "But why do I want to keep that hidden? I'm not ashamed, nothing wrong with what we're doing. After graduation there won't be a problem, we'll be perfectly legal to do what we want together and there's so much I want to do with her. Why can't I just say it? Why does it feel like there's something wrong with what we're doing?! Didn't I settle this issue already?!" She cut her eyes at the sky.

"It's starting to piss me off!"

Treating the situation like a heightened argument she no longer wanted any part of, she left the bench and walked faster than before towards the direction of the Dolphin Hope Inn, criticizing her behavior. _"Talking to myself and shouting at nobody, I must be losing my mind."_

Kuroi checked back in with the clerk and was handed back her keys. There was a wish for Konata to still be on the floor, dozing the sunlight away with those adorable sounds escaping her tired face. Equivalent to a lioness, Kuroi opened the door and stared at the innocent gazelle with determination flaring up into her eyes, her target lying there exactly as she was before the woman-now-predator left. Ensuring no noise was made, the teacher crept up to the girl and slowly began to get on her knees, crawling silently until she was over her otaku girlfriend, her shadow consuming the light that touched Konata's body, green eyes above closed. A loud swallow traveled down Kuroi's throat before she started.

"Konata," she whispered, hoping she didn't arouse the teenager from her slumber, what was about to be said was the ultimate practice, a rehearsal of what she's wanted to say and how she's felt every night in bed, in every waking second when she was alone thinking about the wonderful person beneath her. "I've been hiding this for a long time but I want to be with you more than anyone else." She cleared her voice. "I…I don't why I'm hiding it, something is telling me too and I don't want to. You're making nervous and you're not even awake." A chuckle escaped from her throat.

"I can do what I feel like and say what I feel around you except for this one emotion I've pretended wasn't there but I want to say it now. I lo…erm…" Her throat needing clearing again. "I lo…Konata, I lo…you…I…"

Those snaky green eyes began to water. "I can't say it….why can't I say it?!" She wanted to yell, she needed to yell. Before any tears could fall atop Konata she fell back and searched for something, anything to press against her face. Finding Konata's duffle bag, she hugged it until even her cheeks were covered by the scaly feel of its skin. As loud as she could, she screamed into the bag, not caring how strange the sight seemed or how young people would have assumed she was pretending to be. "Nanako?" Konata tiredly said, rising from the floor, wiping her eyes. "What was that noise?"

The older woman quickly wiped her eyes; not facing her girlfriend until she felt assured she could feign a content smile. "What are you doing?" Konata asked. "I think I heard a weird noise. Are you okay?"

"I…I just smelled something funny, thought it might have been from your bag. I guess it's just the sunscreen I was using."

"Oh yeah, I dozed off. It's almost been an hour; shouldn't we be heading for the beach?"

"Yeah, I'll go check on the others." Anything to get herself out of the room. Kuroi swiftly exited from the scene, standing still in the hallway with a single hand gripped onto the doorknob. If Konata were to suddenly come out and see those tears mercilessly ripping out of her eyes she wasn't certain if she could contain herself anymore. "I need to talk to somebody about this…maybe Sojiro…as soon as possible."

Suddenly Hiyori burst from the room next to Kuroi's and Konata's, holding a beach ball with a wide smile across her expression, a gesture that faded at the sight before her. "Kuroi-sensei…is everything alright?" The artist closed her door before Minami and Yutaka could see, shooing them away with her hand, hoping they caught the hint. Wiping her eyes, Kuroi felt a strong temptation to drop every defense and tattle on her grief to this young girl, someone whose only experience with love being the pictures she drew. "Nothing Tamura-san, it's nothing. Everything is being taken care of." A few sniffles escaped but she dried her eyes with her wrists before continuing, trying her best to revert to her normal self.

"Um…Did you and Konata fight? Do you want to talk about it? I'll listen."

"That's sweet of you to offer but nothing happened between me and Konata. I rather talk to Sojiro-kun later so just act like everything is normal, okay? Please."

"I understand. I won't tell her. Just please make sure nobody gets hurt."

"I know Tamura-san, I know. You don't have to tell an adult like me."

Sojiro pointed a finger into the air, bending one of his knees forward in a pose to show off his swimming trunks to his niece along with his brand new camera hanging from his neck. Yui felt like she was suddenly caught in some pervert's trap, like something bad was going to happen if she didn't watch out, reflexively hiding her chest despite already wearing her striped one piece. "What kind of man poses for his niece anyway?"

"Ah, you look pretty cute in your swimsuit. As expected of my sister to birth such a child," commented the old man. "But more than that, isn't this camera magnificent? I had to get some new lenses for this sunny area. I usually don't get data from beaches."

"What horrible plans do you have for this trip?" Yui muttered, zipping up her suitcase. Sojiro wanted to ask the same thing, noting the tape recorder and camera he glimpsed before she locked them away in her bag. He couldn't tell if it were suspicion or fear, perhaps both, bubbling in his chest, encouraging him to take caution. "Well, don't worry. I know my limits," he said. "Let's go check to see if everybody is ready."

Opening the door, he was confronted by everybody standing before him in the hallway with looks of expectation in their lit up eyes. "A utopia of cute girls eagerly waiting for my arrival, not daring to go anywhere without me, not even to the beach! It makes me feel like the world, no, this single moment is revolving around me. Don't worry everybody, I'm ready!" he declared.

"That's great Dad…" Konata mumbled, feeling the creepiness leak into her friends' hearts, even the air they breathed. Everyone checked to make sure their doors were locked, checked out with the front desk and began their journey to the beach only a few blocks away from their starting point. Sojiro investigated Yui's person with quick glances, checking for any device she might have taken from her bag. Hopefully, he thought, Kuroi and Konata would be able to restrain themselves from doing anything risky in front of their relative. The two were busy anyway, leading their followers to the coast for promises of afternoon sun and fun.

Konata couldn't shake the feeling that something important occurred while she was sleeping and the uneasiness grew difficult to shed with every look she passed to the blonde woman next to her. "Is something up Nanako?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm just feeling a bit frustrated. You know how you randomly get irritated out of the blue, something like that."

"Well, I was thinking," started the otaku, lowering her voice and walking ahead to hopefully give Kuroi a hint to do the same. "We should probably not spend the entire time at the beach with each other. I have a feeling Yui has something up her sleeve. And also, maybe playing with Yu-chan will help you two get along much better."

"Good idea. _And thanks, I think I need some alone time anyway to think about some stuff_." Kuroi only thought that last sentence, catching the sly smile on Konata's face, the kind of smile and relaxed yet concentrated gaze with it that said, _"I'll back off so you can settle down. Talk to me when you're ready, if anything's wrong."_

It took only a few minutes to reach their destination and in Konata's head the sound of waves splashing against the sand, mixed in with the sights of tanning, children running and couples holding hands, a melody played. "We really need to record tropical background music and play it while we hang out here. It just doesn't feel right like in anime. Then again no one's wearing a surprisingly revealing outfit either with a underage boy freaking out about it. And no one brought any melons to beat up."

Kuroi poked out her chest. "Well, there's some melons right here you can stare at," she proudly said.

"Oh sensei, you're so perverted!" giggled the girl, turning a bright red from the suggestion. She felt take taking advantage and blatantly staring at the goods but decided to hold back around her cousin. "But lovely melons aside, I think you look really good in your bikini. It shines like its made out of gel and it gleams in the sun. Extra sexy! I wonder how a swim suit decorated like the American flag would look on you, with all those stars and stripes. People'll confuse you for a yankee and the real trouble would start."

"Better forget that idea, runt. Besides, I'm sure you'd be getting a lot of people's attention too. I never would have imagined you would wear something so silky and white. I'm surprised but it seems to fit ya."

Yui dropped her arms across both of their shoulders and stuck her head in between, "Once you two are done flirting, maybe you can help us with set up."

"Sure thing, Yui-neechan," Konata nervously said, caught in the act. Minami laid out the first blanket and umbrella with Yutaka, who busied herself with the medical kit and lotions. An extra powerful sunscreen was required for her and while it was assumed her prince would do the honors of rubbing some across her back, Konata insisted Kuroi take the job. "Sorry Minami," Kuroi said. The slender girl shook her head, not wishing to seem like she was hogging the sickly girl all to herself.

"Here Minami, you can do me," Konata said, handing her the bottle. Hiyori frantically recorded every idea that blasted into her head, thanking her friend mentally for saying such a vaguely sensual sentence. Yui interrupted the process, asking the doujin author the same question that shook her chords just the same. "Yeah…no problem Narumi-san…I'll…do you."

Sojiro eventually found himself alone, having to adapt with stretching his hands to reach every corner of his back. Konata laid on her stomach, admiring the scenery as the first dab of lotion began to spread across her back. "This beach sure is enormous, Nanako. I can't even see the end to this place."

Kuroi began pressing onto Yutaka's shoulders, hearing defeated whimpers coming out from the smallest girl of their group. "Sorry, am I doing it too hard Yutaka-chan? I'll try to be gentler. Just tell me if I should lessen the force."

"It's okay."

"You're so small and cute. No wonder Minami-san can't stop hanging around ya! Oh sorry, were you saying something Konata? I'm afraid I gotta focus how much strength I put on this poor girl."

"It's okay. I just can't help how big this beach is," answered Konata, switching posts with her friend. Yutaka and Kuroi did the same.

"Yeah, there's a lot of hidden spots all over. If we have time I'll definitely show you some of them," Kuroi said, pointing to the east. "There's a cave at the far edge over there and some areas in between cliffs. At night this place can really get quiet and even a bit haunting."

Once everything was set up and the sunscreen applied, everyone separated into their own groups. Kuroi decided to stand by Yutaka and Minami, nervously welcoming them and hoping she hadn't become a third wheel. "Sorry if I'm imposing on something," she said.

"It's not a problem. We wouldn't even be here if it weren't for you and Konata," Minami replied, still curious as to why the teacher had such interest in them. It was foolish to think she was beginning to lust for underage girls but she wanted to be cautious just in case.

Konata ran up to her cousin, deciding to practice her beach running as she did with arms bent sideways and chest moving from side to side, making sure to kick up each heel with every step. "Yui-neechan, wanna play with me?"

"Are you sure you don't want to go with Kuroi-chan?" the officer asked smugly, ignoring the overzealous movements.

"Why would you say that? Besides, you and I haven't been hanging out and doing stuff for a long time," said the petite girl. "I've missed having fun with you."

"R-really? It does feel like it has been a while doesn't it?"

Sojiro began clicking his camera at the events peeling out around him. Kuroi seemed to begin slipping into the Minami-Yutaka group with an awkward ease as Konata formed a temporary alliance with Yui in order to enjoy the fruits of their labor to organize this vacation. "It's nice to see Yu-chan hanging around more adults. She's absent from school so often I doubt her teachers know her well. And the way Iwasaki-san is with her is great; I've only heard about it and seen it a few times myself."

Hiyori stood with enthusiasm next to him, hands on hips and eyes sharply scanning for any interesting developments. "Um…I was wondering if after this vacation you could make me copies of some of the pictures you take. It would be great as resource material."

"No problem Tamura-san. You can check them out whenever you want. Be sure to tell me if you spot anything special too."

"Observation is activated sir! You know, I wonder if Kuroi-sensei has taken senpai's purity yet."

"I can tell by the way they act that they haven't gone that far yet and…wait, no matter what a father shouldn't be discussing such things with his daughter's schoolmates!"

"Hey, Tamura-san!" Yui called out, tossing a water gun into the girl's hands. "Come on for the shoot out with Konata and me. You don't want to hang around an old man all day do you?"

"Okay. Sorry Izumi-san, take some good shots!"

Before the officer could return, Konata managed to carry a conversation between her and Kuroi through text messages.

"_You look hot in your swimsuit Nanako! ;)"_

"_Heh, you already told me that! You look hot too!"_

"_I can't believe your tattoo is so well hidden in your swimsuit."_

"_I made sure no one could see it unless I showed them myself. Now stop texting me, you're making Minami and Yutaka wait on me."_

"_Oops. Sorry. Go have fun and throw Yutaka around." _

"Hey Konata, who're you texting?" Yui asked, returning with a new player for their game. The inbox on the phone was instantly cleared before tossed onto the towel. "Just Kagami and Tsukasa, telling them about the trip," Konata said. "Let's go!"

Yutaka jumped into the water with her swim ring held tightly in her hands, Minami shortly after her. Kuroi wasn't sure what to do with them, she could easily imagine splashing water at the two but knew some would get in the little one's eyes and the horror would unfold right there.

"_Mmm…there's seawater in my eye."_

_Minami would rush to the injured girl's side. "Is there anything I can do?"_

"_Oh, I'm sorry Yutaka. I didn't know you were sensitive to that kind of stuff." Kuroi would say in an attempt to justify herself. It wouldn't matter; the two girls would be too focused on healing the situation to hear the apology, adding more bricks to an imaginary wall between them._

_Yutaka would continue feeling the burn in her eye. "Kuroi-sensei is mean!"_

"That's just silly," Kuroi told herself. "But maybe splashing water isn't too good of an idea."

Thinking of what to do, she decided to grab the swim ring and began swaying Yutaka to the sides gently. The cheers of approval told her to continue, it seemed like the small girl was having fun so Kuroi invited Minami to grab the other side. The girl between them began kicking her legs in the water excitedly like a child, recharging a memory in the teacher's head. The image was still clear after the span of years, the children of this town kicking around in the shallow water, they would surround Kuroi and make her chaperone of their play date whenever she just want to sit down and hang out on the sand for a smoke, a duty that quickly became "lifeguard". After the first incident she decided to give swimming lessons for free.

"Yutaka-chan, do you know how to swim?" she asked.

"Um…actually no. Since I don't get out much I really don't have enough energy to do something like that," quietly replied Yutaka. The feeling of regret sank in after, telling the older woman that she shouldn't have asked such a thing. But she felt like she wasn't the only one sensing regret. "Yutaka-chan, how about I teach you how to swim? Just small lessons, we'll go bit by bit at your pace."

"I don't want to be a bother."

"I'd be happy to, we can start a little now and maybe after this trip we could go to the school pool or something."

"Thank you, I would love to. What should we start with first?"

"Hmm, here, how about we just practice holding your breath underwater for a few seconds? Minami will be right next to you just in case something happens so don't be afraid of anything," instructed Kuroi. "My hands will be right in front of you so reach out if you get nervous."

The lessons began and Minami was glad to help, it seemed like with every dive of the head and every rise afterwards that the sick girl's air capacity grew. From afar Hiyori logged that scene into her head, of course getting attacked by squirts of water with her attention divided. "Good, you're doing really well," Kuroi happily said, never forgetting to encourage a student. "Just keep practicing like that and you'll be better in no time. I'm impressed."

"Thanks but I'm getting a little tired. Can we take a break?"

"Sure, rest as long as you want. In fact, we can call it quits for today," Kuroi said, more than happy to form a common ground between her and Konata's cousin. Apparently nature disapproved as it sent a wave over the group. Yutaka was the first one swept back when the water pulled back into the ocean, popping out gasping for air. It only took one breath before she screamed out, noticing the cluster of seaweed filling her one piece suit. "They're all over me!" she said, trying to pull them out.

Kuroi and Minami instantly came to the rescue, carefully slipping their hands into the suit, beneath and inside, pulling every length of seaweed and dumping it back into the sea. "Please…be careful with your hands," Yutaka pleaded, her face caught between panic and fluster. There was some invasion of privacy that couldn't be helped and Kuroi prayed this wouldn't make things awkward, avoiding the chest and lower regions at all costs. "It's okay, it'll be over soon," reassured Minami.

"I'm so sorry Yutaka-chan, I'll be very careful."

"Oh…my god…" Hiyori lustfully muttered, almost breathless. "Their hands all over the place…wet, slimy seaweed on her little body…victim to fate…I can't take this all at once! This is godly!"

Konata and Yui shot her with water but it wasn't enough to make her react, she was lost in the scene. She could hear Sojiro taking photos, it was later she was thought her heart would jump out of her chest to hear he had switched to video mode and recorded the entire event in high quality. The feeling of guilt for enjoying one's misfortune shortly passed. After the cleaning, Yutaka was taken into Minami's arms back to the towels where she was comforted and cleaned off by her two private helpers. The apologies were non stop but Yutaka assured everything was alright, she only wished for some quiet time to settle down.

"I'll go get us some drinks," Kuroi said, deciding it'd be best to not hang around the girl she nearly groped for a few minutes. Konata ran up to the woman. "You'll probably need some help carrying everything," she said.

"Thanks. Geez, that was a disaster though. Yutaka-chan is probably going to feel weird around me." The two reached one of the beachside stands and Konata ordered the drinks, knowing better what everyone would like. "I'm definitely going to need some booze at the end of the day."

"It'll be okay Nanako," Konata said, passing a share of the drinks into her teacher's arm. They began to slowly walk back to the umbrellas where even Yui and Hiyori were beginning to rest. "Yu-chan is a sincere person, she'll forgive you. Just act like nothing happened; you'll laugh at this a long time from now."

"I hope so. Are you having fun with Yui-chan? I was kinda expecting she would try to pull something on us," remarked Kuroi. Konata shook her head.

"As long as we keep quiet there's no problem. But we've just been playing around today so it's been rather relaxing. Still, keep an eye on her. My cousin is pretty sly."

Making it back under the shades of the umbrellas, the two passed the drinks around, sitting next to each other afterwards. It was only a half hour before everyone decided to play again, this time Yui with Minami and Yutaka while Hiyori handed Konata and Kuroi their water guns. Sojiro's camera was fully recharged; the photo snapping would stop only when his body did. The main attraction was the water gun game which went from Konata double crossing Kuroi and teaming with Hiyori to Hiyori teaming up with Kuroi to Kuroi double crossing Hiyori and joining Konata.

Yutaka settled for sand castles, afraid the sea would attack again. It wasn't until evening when everyone decided to finally call it quits, deciding to head back to the inn for a bath. Sojiro once again found himself alone in the male bathhouse. Konata once again took advantage of the situation and convinced Yutaka to let Kuroi bathe her. The teacher used as little force as possible on the fragile body in front of her and was able to make pleasant conversation about swimming. It seemed the seaweed-hands incident had cooled over. Unfortunately the worried glances from Minami on the other side of baths reminded Kuroi not to hog the little girl all to herself. "Why don't you go back to Iwasaki-san now? She seems a bit lonely without you."

"Okay. Thank you." As soon as Yutaka left, Konata appeared.

"That should be enough points for the Yutaka route. Friendship is guaranteed," the otaku stated as she sat down next to her girlfriend, scrubbing her arms.

"K-konata, why are you next to me? This is…it's a bath. You're naked." Kuroi stuttered out, burning from the sight.

"Whoops, sorry. I guess it just doesn't feel sexual if we're in a big bath house, besides we're hiding everything with cloths and bubbles. Still, I am getting all riled up. Let's hope Yui leaves so we can do naughty things."

"Cut that out," Kuroi said, tossing a sponge at the girl's head. It was a playful warning she couldn't help but give, not because she was feeling warmer and lustful but because she wasn't sure if she could control herself much longer. "Just turn around so it's just your back pointing at me. It's different from before now," she lowered her voiced, "we're a couple."

Without reason, Yui stood up and left a few minutes later. She'd only been in the room for ten minutes and was now the first person to leave. The couple knew there was no way the officer heard them but questioned if there was something being plotted against them that they didn't count on. "Anyway, I'll just wash your back for ya," Kuroi happily said, squeezing a soapy sponge with one hand. She still feared her lack of control around the small girl and with an opening that easily allowed her to take dominance she had to resist. Konata decided to distract that feeling of hunger behind her.

"You know, I'm surprised you didn't get darker after being in the sun so long. You're still as light as ever," Konata said.

"Yeah, well it looks like you've been well baked. It's really attractive." The conversation was only making things worst. Konata was asked to move her hair to the side so her teacher could wash the shoulders but the sight of that neck alone threw her off guard. "Maybe we should end this now. I'm getting a little dizzy," Kuroi said. Konata had no choice but to agree.

"Well, I'm pretty tired so I'll hit the hay early tonight."

"Good, the festival is tomorrow after all. They're going to be doing fireworks by a local pyrotechnic so it should be amazing. I never actually been to the festival myself since I came here during the summer," explained Kuroi.

Rising from the small stool, the otaku stretched her arms out and yawned. "That sounds good then, well, good night." She headed for the door.

"Yeah, good night Konata. Sweet dreams."

A smile pressed against the teenager's cheeks, this was a perfect moment to say something romantic in return. "I'm already in one," she said, looking back as she said and stepping out afterwards. She clutched her fist in victory inside the towel room. "Strike! I did it!"

"Goof ball," Kuroi pleasantly said. She left the bath room after Yutaka and Minami, deciding to ask Yui out to a bar like she promised on the train. She dressed in casual jeans and a shirt and knocked on the officer's door.

"Oh, hey Kuroi-chan. Ready to hit the bar right? Let me just grab some things."

"Great because after this morning and the beach incident I need some good old alcohol to calm me down."

"Hear that Izumi-kun?" Yui asked, "I'm headed to the bar."

"I know," Sojiro said, searching through his camera. "Have fun."

Digging through her luggage, Yui snuck something into her back pocket and headed out the door-finding it strange how Sojiro was looking at her but ignored it-checking out with Kuroi at the front desk. They walked out of the inn, surprised to hear such a serene silence from the town, occupied only with the natural sounds of the ocean and breeze through the trees. Expecting a barrage of interrogative questions about Konata, Kuroi was pleasantly surprised to hear nothing coming from her friend's mouth except the fun at the beach today. They found a nice, almost empty bar and took seats up at the counter.

"Drinks are on me since you paid for this trip," Yui offered.

"Thanks."

And with every passing minute, Kuroi drank more and more. It had been a while since she last got drunk so tonight felt like break from life itself, a relief from her recent alcoholic drought. It wasn't long before it felt like the good ol' times when she hung out with Yui every Friday, discussing whatever rubbish came into her head. It took a few cups of regular alcohol and a sip of something heavy Kuroi used to drink as a teenager to get her in that warm, dizzy feeling. "Thanks a lot buddy, this is what I needed!" she yelled out. "Today was part heaven, part hell."

"Really? You should tell me all about." Yui said, reaching into her back pocket for the object she slid out of her luggage earlier. "It's been a while since we talked anyway. I'd be glad to help you out."

"Good…good. You're good." Kuroi mumbled. "You seem safe tonight, I'll say it. I want to tell Konata I love her!"

"R-really? Is that so?" Yui said, not letting the statement catch her off guard. "So why don't you?"

"I don't know! I love her so much, I'm unbelievably happy with her, I've never been so happy in my life. And I know it can get better, ya know, that heaven talk I was saying earlier."

"Yeah, I remember. So how has the dates been with Konata?"

"Fantastic, she so much fun! You should date her too, everyone should date her! Have a taste of Konata! In fact, I, I will name this drink Konata…wait," the loose Kuroi asked for a strawberry from the bartender and dropped it in her drink. "There, that's how her lips taste. Strawberry Konata!"

"You sure know how to sweet talk people," Yui said, playing along. This was more than enough evidence, this is all she needed. She had bought a camera before the trip hoping to catch them doing something romantic but was happy to see Sojiro clicking away. It would be easy to get the photos off his digital camera later. And as bad as it felt, according to her feelings, according to her belief in the law and in fairness, Yui did not stop the tape recorder on her lap, the device from her back pocket that she knew heard as much of this drunken confession as she did. It didn't feel good but it felt right, she won.

Author's Note: It has finally happened! I really wanted to get this chapter out so I rushed a bit through the bathhouse scene but everything is good. Don't forget to review!


	18. Chapter 18:Simplicity

Hidden Candy

Chapter 18: Simplicity

The clock hands on Yui's watch had enough exercise before she decided to call it a night at the bar, the counter space next to her covered in empty glasses. Kuroi was still ordering drinks and seemed to resort to singing under her breath as her finger roll a grape back and forth across the table. Usually it was a few heavy drinks that would drown the teacher's defenses but obviously her hunger strike against alcohol was becoming a war she rather rest from for tonight. Was she doing it for Konata, Yui would ponder. Kuroi wasn't a bad drunk nor did she habitually let herself lose control so the motive seemed shaky.

"Well, let's get you back to the room," suggested the officer, already playing out the routine she used to commence at the end of every payday with her friend. Leaving enough cash for a good tip, Yui was stuck between Heaven and Hell herself. On one hand she felt a familiar happiness of being able to hang out with her friend but on the other she held a recorder that would surely doom the woman's position as a teacher.

"You know something Yui…love is love," Kuroi started, stopping to stare at the starry sky above, a trusty arm still supporting her sides. "I love her and I should say so!"

"Maybe you should hold back on that," Yui said, pulling her friend forward. "Wait or something. You need to go to bed anyway. Do you even make Konata deal with this kind of behavior?"

"WHAT?! No…don't be silly. That's the whole purpose of lessening my trips to the bar you scum," Kuroi explained, switching moods and smiling through the insults she blurted out. "Konata's too small to be lugging me around."

"Really now?" The Dolphin Hope inn glowed in the light bereft town, like a lighthouse to relaxation. For now all Yui wanted to do after a long train ride, fun at the beach, bathing, and trip to the bar was to plop down into her futon and give up her strength to slumber. She checked back in with the clerk, taking both set of keys for her and Kuroi. Carefully, she guided her to her room and handed her the keys. "Good night now Kuroi-san."

"Yeah, you, you." Kuroi muttered, stumbling a few large steps to her left, reaching for the calf-high table to lay on top of before she fell over. Low volume breathing soothed out from Konata's slightly opened lips as she rested belly up in her futon. "Shh, you fish! You'll awaken yourself and then you'll be awake! Aw, but you're so cute. I feel like groping you but that's not right, you should grope me first. Wait, shouldn't we both be drunk? No, you're over…under…you're stuck aged? Heh, like a knife in a back!"

Even when lost in her slurred fog of senses the temptation of sleep was omnipresent, leading her, along with her weakening and unsure movements, into the small girl's futon where she slipped under the covers and held Konata closely to her body. She snuggled her head above the otaku's and forgot her earlier scheme to grope. Nibbling an ear seemed natural, making her girlfriend murmur and moan. "Awake loli? Nah, you're…you're so sleepy. I was thinking about telling you a secret, you know, quiet words," Kuroi whispered in turn. "You wanna hear it, I know you do. The secret that I lo…oh no…oh no Konata, it's an emergency! I can't say it." Her voice went low, a seriousness crossed over as she squeezed the girl in her arms. "I'm sorry…I'm really sorry. I should tell ya…it hurts me, it hurts me runt."

And just as silently as she was loud before, Kuroi's body fell to her drowsiness, drowning in misery and guilt no alcohol could take away.

Yui trotted into her room, surprised to still see Sojiro awake. Apparently he spent much of the night sifting through his images collected from today stored on a digital camera. "You should let me check those out later."

"Sure, right now I'm just deleting and saving. I'm putting quite a few on my computer," he said. As a precaution he placed some of the pictures he'd taken of Kuroi and Konata being close together in different folders and marked them as hidden, hoping they would be invisible to the officer. Konata requested some photos of them together during the trip, specifically their sweeter moments. "So, had fun at the bar?"

"Oh yeah," Yui said, feeling rather proud as she sat on top her futon, pulling headphones out of her duffle bag and plugging them into the recorder. "Kuroi sure is a blabber mouth when she's drunk."

Sojiro didn't answer back, he easily knew what that meant, which is also why a smile began to curve along his face. His niece started playing the recording, awaiting to hear her undeniable evidence repeat itself. Nothing.

"Hmm? That's strange?" Yui thought, pressing the fast forward button. Usually the sound of the tape inside moving at a rapid pace could be heard but still nothing. There wasn't a single sound. Yui pressed the power button to make it was on but it didn't make a difference, it didn't seem to turn on at all. "What the?"

Flipping over the recorder, she popped open the back, utterly shocked to see not a single battery inside. _"Where's the batteries?! I remembered putting batteries in this before I packed it!"_ she thought to herself. _"Does this mean it didn't record anything at the bar either?!"_

"Oh, did you need that recorder?" Sojiro asked. "Sorry, but I needed the batteries for my MP3 player. Here, you can have them back."

"_You've got to be kidding me, was this an accident or not?"_

Sojiro quickly turned his back from the scene, having to hide his smile of accomplishment from giving his motives away. _"Who better to trump a cop than a man who cares little for girls' privacy? Wait…no."_

As he claimed he had in life, now in this situation Sojiro won.

Konata awoke briskly the next morning, feeling rather hotter than usual. She assumed, as she began to open her eyes, that the town's climate was simply trying to cook her into shrimp until she noticed the jumbo shrimp snoring above her head, her body captured in a prison of affectionate arms that kept her a blink away from Kuroi's chest. Shedding the arms around her, she kissed her girlfriend on the forehead before sitting up. "You smell like alcohol," Konata said. "Must have had fun last night at the bar. I have to admit I kinda miss the smell. Wait, why am I talking to you while you're asleep?"

Doing her morning stretch before heading to the bathroom, Konata tried to think up an idea for breakfast during the process. Their room didn't have a kitchen which was natural so she had to settle for something bought. Donuts came to mind but she only saw Kuroi enjoy jelly filled ones, besides, she lacked much of a sweet tooth. Stepping out of the bathroom in the hallway of the inn, she noticed Hiyori exiting the baths. "Hey, good morning Tamura-chan. Why are you bathing so early in the morning?"

"Well, the heat really got me all sweaty while I slept. Plus I tried to spy on Iwasak-san and Yu-chan who were sleeping suspiciously close to each other. The body heat just built up I guess."

"I see. I'm going to get breakfast for Kuroi and me, want something?"

"No thanks. So everything is good again then?" Hiyori asked.

"Good again? What do you mean?"

"Oh…never mind. Forget I said anything."

"If there's something I need to know, please tell me," softly pleaded Konata, staring with concern marked onto her eyes. The artist hesitated, looking with silence, cursing herself for making herself the messenger of bad news but knowing she wouldn't be the one to get shot down for it.

"I blew it anyway I guess. You know…yesterday before we went to the beach Kuroi-sensei left her room…um, you know, crying," Hiyori started, interrupted momentarily by an exclamation of shock by her senior classmate. "She said she would talk to your dad about it but I guess she didn't."

"Yeah, she went with Yui to get drunk instead," Konata said, speaking in that twilight of anger and worry.

"Are you mad? Kuroi-sensei told me to keep it a secret but if she figured out I just told you she'd-"

"No need to worry Tamura-chan. I'm not mad at either of you, a little upset and worried but…I can't think about myself when I just heard Nanako was crying. For now I need to make her feel good and pull the answer out of her then. We'll start with a good breakfast. See ya."

"Wow…I wish I had a girlfriend like Konata," Hiyori noted, watching the otaku leave the from her sights and into the front office.

Handing the keys back to the clerk, the blue haired girl counted her cash in her wallet before stepping outside under the beaming sun. Her trip through town for a good meal had to be short so she wasted little time for site seeing and noticed an array of eateries lined up like a plaza. She knew food from a stand would be perfect but none were open. She settled for breakfast sandwiches from a clean and friendly restaurant much like what one sees travelers and drifters stopping by in in a movie. Checking out the menu in the pleasantly cool establishment, she took a few seconds to adore the tiled floor colored in a checkered pattern of blue and white. It was more of an American diner than anything else but it seemed that like a place she and Kuroi could enjoy. Ordering three sandwiches, she made sure Kuroi's were filled with enough cheese, sausage and eggs-the way she knew her girlfriend liked it-and also ordered a cup of coffee, unsure if it could really work for a hangover.

It took a few minutes to return to her room where she placed the bag and cup carefully on top of the table before kneeling down next to her teacher who now closed her mouth and began humming with every breath. Konata gently nudged her shoulders, awaking the woman. "Good morning Nanako."

The first replies came via stretching, moaning, yawning and scratching. It wasn't much different from she normally greeted every morning but after a night of drinking a certain level of sleepy dog likeness could be seen.

"Good morning Konata," said the teacher, immediately heading for the bathroom outside their room. The otaku took this chance to call everyone else for an agreed upon plan of the day. They already knew of the festival planned in the evening so it was decided to simply spend the day relaxing, especially after yesterday's beach events. After settling the deal, Konata hung up the phone, almost on cue for her girlfriend to reenter the room.

"Um…Nanako, you really shouldn't be leaving the room when you're in your underwear and a shirt."

"Sorry about that…I'm still a bit tired from-" Kuroi let out a big yawn opening her mouth like a lion. "From last night. Who was calling on the phone anyway?"

"I was just calling everyone else to see what they wanted to do today. It's unanimous, we're staying in until tonight's festival," reported Konata. "And there's breakfast on the table. I can't cook since there's no kitchen in here so I bought something from a diner."

"That's not a problem at all," Kuroi said, sitting down at the nearly floor level table and tiredly reaching in the bag for two sandwiches, her usual portions. "This is a vacation, you're supposed to have fun and take it easy. A master of laziness like you should know that."

"You're right, I'll remember that. But speaking of taking things easy, I wonder what's on TV." Konata reached the remote before sitting on the other side of the table and began flipping through the stations until a bright magic beam attack caught her eye. "Ooh! A magical girl show, we've gotta watch this!"

"Here, come sit in my lap and have some breakfast," Kuroi invited, opening her legs and arms in preparation. The petite teenager got up and walked over to the her teacher, tucking herself against the taller, warm woman. She was handed the breakfast bag and retrieved her ham, egg and cheese sandwich. Strangely, a deep focus was paid to the anime onscreen. Kuroi laughed at the cliché lines of friendship and will while Konata explained what was put into the show for the sake of merchandising. It was shortly after that a card game anime began soon after and they couldn't help but mock it.

"You know I used to play card games all the time in middle school," said Konata. "I was the supreme duelist then! They made me president of the club too."

"Little nerd, you must have wasted a ton of money on that stuff."

"Can't live and breathe anime without wasting a ton of money."

"Here, I'll teach ya a card game I know." The blonde crumpled the napkin her sandwich came in and wiped her hands, placing the balled up paper on the table. She then stretched across the floor, pulling her bag towards her. Inside she revealed was a set of poker cards. The couple sat across from each other as the tutorial game began. "Remember this, otaku pixie, no jokers are allowed."

"I'll throw away the J's."

"Wait, those are the Jacks. Jokers are these useless cards that don't even match the others."

"I gotcha. No jokers."

"Time to teach you some poker in case you ever need some quick cash." So the lesson began and although Konata didn't care much for card games that didn't involve magical monsters she listened anyway, hoping one day she might be able to use this skill and get herself some easy money. "Oh, we should start with the aces. Some people have trouble with this one."

Losing too many times, Konata was thankful they weren't playing strip poker-an idea which crossed her mind multiple times-or else she would have ended up in some form of slavery with her enormous imaginary debt to her girlfriend. Her mistakes in the game amused them both as they picked up on the ability to laugh at each other and themselves-especially when it came time for Konata to attempt the fanciest shuffling she would never master. There was one game where Konata accidentally won, leaving the teacher to finally start believing in beginner's luck. Forty five minutes had passed before the lesson and games ended. Kuroi put away cards, neatly stacking them and dropping them back into their handheld box. "Not much for poker huh?" she asked.

"You made it fun though it's not my kind of thing."

"Well then I should find something really bad and boring to teach you as revenge for you introducing that damn touhou to me. You know I'm addicted to game now because of you," Kuroi happily said.

"Don't blame the player, blame the game." Konata playfully countered. But soon the smile slipped away. "But now that you're awake and happy, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Really? What is it Konata? You sound serious."

"It kind of is serious Nanako. Has anything been bothering you lately?"

"Bothering me? Why do you ask?"

"Please don't try and avoid the question. You've been acting a little odd and distant lately and not in a normal way. If something's going on I would like to know."

Kuroi shrugged her shoulders; it reminded Konata of a teenager but like a parent she would have to put her foot down on this issue. "Nanako…I really need to hear what's bothering you," she sternly said.

The older woman paused for a second, staring curiously at her girlfriend who didn't need to feign displeasure, it grew on its own in her face with sharpened eyes and diagonal brows parallel of each other. She didn't seem to budge from her spot, unexpectedly giving Kuroi the chuckles.

"Wow, you know things are good between us when I'm actually worried about a teenager being mad at me like this. But…jokes aside, all I need is just a little time."

"You've already had plenty. You've actually had a month. I remember the conversation we had in the park, on the swings," Konata stated. "You asked for some time and I gave it to you. Everything seemed fine with you so I really didn't question anything."

"So why are you questioning things now? If you remember, I also said how special you were to me and that has never changed since then."

"Of course I remember something like that Nanako but that doesn't change the fact that I want to know what's going on. You're really precious to me too and I can't stand knowing you're trying to handle something on your own like this, something you haven't taken care of for a month now," said Konata, blending in worry with irritation.

"I can take care of myself; you don't need to worry about me like that. Besides, I was working overtime for this trip and hanging out with you, it's a wonder I even got enough sleep."

"Those are just bad excuses and you should be glad we're doing stuff like that. I was working overtime too but I made certain I didn't have any problems to deal with. Why can't you just open up and tell me about it?"

Kuroi rested her arm on the table and placed her palm against the surface, leaning in closer. "Why do you need to keep pestering me about something I've gotten taken care of? You really bothering me when you don't believe me like that."

"How can I believe you when you keep hiding stuff from me? How's that fair for me at all?"

"Fair?" Kuroi exclaimed. "What's fair is that I wouldn't be pestering you like this if you were in my shoes. You keep asking like you're gonna get an answer and just don't quit, making everything worst. Just leave me alone about it, you little piglet!"

Konata's stern expression melted away into a frown with those words, like she realized she had been stabbed with a blade. "Stop…let's just stop. We're getting into an argument and that's not how we're going to solve this."

Kuroi felt her anger dissolve at the quick change in her girlfriend's face, the feeling of guilt sunk dropped in her like an anchor. "Yeah…yeah, you're right. I'm sorry Konata, I shouldn't have raised my voice at you or gotten so quick tempered."

"It's okay. Just promise that no matter how angry you get…you won't use those nicknames you call me as an insult."

"Y-yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't even mean what I said, I was just angry. I promise not to do that again." It was the first time Konata showed any signs of enjoying being called those cutesy names. It was clear that the boundary Kuroi stepped over was using those sentimental names as weapons. The shame just piled on the troubles she already hid away from her girlfriend; it was easy to see she was completely at fault for this situation. "Anyway…let's talk peacefully about this. After all, I lo…"

The teacher began growling, furiously sending her fingers through her hair. The aggravation felt like a taste of insanity, driving into her skull with each attempt that seemed more futile with each and every shot. Konata placed her hand on Kuroi's. "Maybe we should just relax for a while."

"No…I need some time alone to think."

"O-okay. I'll just walk around town a bit so I'll be back in about…two hours? Then we can talk some more. Is that good?" A calm front was needed for this situation and the teen wanted to provide despite a hardly noticeable tremble in both limbs and voice.

"Yeah, thank you Konata. I really need to sort some things out." Konata nodded, standing up and grabbing her wallet and keys from the counter. She headed for the door.

"Konata," Kuroi called out. "Just…just don't worry okay. Like I said, you're special to me. And that's never going to change."

"I know. It'll never change for me either, that makes me very happy. But it can't really be that simple can it?"

"We'll see Konata, we'll see."

The otaku left the room and knocked on the door next to it, waiting for an answer. Hiyori opened the door, dressed as if prepared to explore the town-which was perfect for this moment. "Hey Kona-chan, what's up? You seem a little bothered."

"Nanako needs some alone time right now so I was thinking that the four of us could go walking around town, maybe get some ice cream and check out the place."

"Sure, that sounds great. I'll see if Iwasaki-san and Yutaka-chan want to go." Hiyori closed the door and minutes later stepped out with a straw hat on her head and her two objects of art next to her. "Lead the way captain!"

The first stop was ice cream, a predictable route in Konata's eyes once she heard her cousin suggest it, the following agreement from Minami naturally sounding after. There really was little fighting the vote so the otaku led them to a parlor she spotted during her morning search for food, keeping Hiyori close by her side to discuss what happened in the room with Kuroi. "You guys almost got into a fight?"

"Yeah, Nanako is usually pretty well collected but only gets angry when she's already irritated or bothered, I'm really worried about this issue she seems to keep hiding from me."

"I agree with how you feel Konata-senpai," Hiyori said, trying her best to contribute. From everything she has heard and seen from the teacher there was a general niceness about her and a good temperament. Whatever the problem was, the two of them felt like it had to be something tremendously troublesome, if not downright serious. It took a few minutes to find the place. The four girls found a table where Konata offered to order and bring the ice cream. Hiyori tagged along.

They sent their orders and now waiting for their snacks to be made after the first few customers before them had theirs. "It's really painful," Konata said, staring at the toppings behind the glass, not paying her usual amount of attention towards the additional treats. "It feels like I can't do anything about the situation either. Try and imagine playing a shooter game blindfolded, you can't even begin to predict where the target might be."

"It's that bad huh? I wish I had more experience with relationships to help you better than this," Hiyori said. "But you two are really close; there can't be a single problem the both of you can't work out. She loves you doesn't she? And you love her back. I mean, you guys managed to keep a teacher and student relationship secret! A nine year age gap and it works for you two. I really like you guys as a couple, you fit so well and I've only spent a few days with you two."

"I know…things should be working but something's screw it all up."

"Oh really?" a voice sternly said behind the girls. "It's not working between you and Kuroi-chan?"

They turned around to see Yui standing there, no smile of victory on her face, just what appeared to be heightened annoyance.

"You were listening? We were just talking about Iwasaki-san and Yutaka-chan" Hiyori said.

"I heard the entire thing so can it. I texted Iwasaki-san and asked her where you guys were so I just came along after. I had no idea you would just say everything if I just snuck up on you. It's not like they were spies or anything, maybe you just forgot to tell Iwasaki-san about the entire situation," explained the officer. "But now that's it out in the open you and I really need to talk Konata. One on one."

"Yeah, I know," replied Konata. Today wasn't looking as bright as the sun made it out to be. "Hiyori, can you take care of those two while I'm gone?"

"No problem. Good luck."

Yui and Konata left the ice cream parlor, assumingly taking a walk wherever they felt like going or turning at whatever whimsical turn their body desired. Now all subtlety was tossed out the window, Yui overheard the conversation so there was little purpose of hiding the relationship now though Konata wondered if-with a little effort and planning-was there one before? All her cousin required was evidence she could show somebody else. _"Maybe Nanako could have at least discussed things with Yui-neechan."_

"I want to start off saying…there's no problem with our relationship," Konata said. "I'm of legal consent, she's not forcing me to do anything I don't want and even the age difference is just a preference. Not a fetish of mine and I do have a lot of those."

"Konata, you know the real risk behind all of this. And I'd say it was really selfish and foolish of both of you to take it. Kuroi-chan could lose her job if you are discovered, did you ever think about that?" yui started. "You know how passionate she is about her job as a teacher. She even holds tutoring lessons for whoever asks and you decided to risk it."

"We settled on a plan right after our first date. We wouldn't do anything suspicious at school."

"Sure, you could hide it at school but what about the chances of someone else seeing you two together in public? Do you know that you could have been in the newspaper or even on television? And I get the feeling a lot more people know about this than just your dad and Tamura-san. Kuroi-chan has stepped over her boundaries as a teacher."

"I'm going to graduate in a month, so there won't be a problem right? Then we'll be all clear. The only problem is you; everyone else can accept it except you." Konata said.

"Do you know why I'm the only one who opposes it? Because I am a sensible adult and officer. Do you really think you're the first teacher and student couple to 'fall in love'? Ever thought of what might happen if you tick off one of your friends and they decided to report you two as vengeance?" Yui asked harshly.

"They wouldn't do that."

"You can't ever completely know people. Do you think I knew you would ever do something like this? Did you know Kuroi-chan would ever date one of her students? You'd be surprised what people do in certain situations. I've seen officers injure innocent people badly just because they were scared too, I've seen so many liars and sneaky people show their true colors. Kuroi-chan is no different; you say you can't figure out what's wrong with her? That's just a sign that something isn't working between you two, especially since she can't tell you."

"You're…you're my cousin, Yui-neechan. You're supposed to be supporting me with this. I'm the happiest I've ever been with Nanako, you're like a sister to me and you won't accept what I'm doing," Konata said, catching herself getting teary eyed. She sniffled before hearing the response.

Yui stopped in her tracks and held onto her cousin's shoulders, looking her dead in the eyes. "Konata, it's because I care about you that I'm doing this. There's just too many risks and problems with this. You're going to get caught and found out. A single slip up would finish you guys. It's better I report you guys and get your name hidden from public records instead of someone else who doesn't know you and just lets the whole world know what you're doing."

"We've hidden it for five months; we can do it for one last month. Besides, we're always hanging out at her house or mine now so no one we don't know won't catch us."

Yui let out a sigh and rested on one knee. "That's not the only problem…the relationship itself can't work. The age difference is just wrong for you two, it will ruin everything for you. And when Kuroi-chan dumps you she'll now be more open to the idea of dating students and who knows how that could end up. And Konata, please…don't tell me you guys are any different from the rest of the teachers and students who decided to date. Don't give me that famous line I've heard too many times to ever consider true."

Konata gently moved her cousin's hands off her shoulders, clearing her throat and sniffling one more time. "We are different and I don't think you and I might ever agree about that. I'm sorry Yui-neechan. I love you but that's just how it is."

"Your relationship is okay huh? Then why did I hear Kuroi-chan crying in her room? Are you sure you know everything, that you're just not playing a shooter with a blindfold on?"

"I have to go," Konata said, quickly walking away from the scene. Looking back would be a fatal mistake, it would make her sympathize with her cousin, it would plant a seed of doubt she never asked for. The only thing she found they could agree on was that there was something wrong in the relationship, something inside Kuroi.

Yui felt a pain of shame crawl up from her stomach as she pulled the recorder out that was poking from her pocket. This time she made certain there were batteries inside. "I'm doing this out of the deepest love for you Konata, even if you dislike me for it. There's just too many reasons for you and Kuroi-chan to not work."

Konata spent the remainder of the two hours plus an additional one and a half walking through town, reviewing the entire today in her head. She couldn't manage to hide the anger on her face, the occasional sigh or groan of frustration. There was hardly a moment where she felt such a dark emotion boiling inside her but today it felt all too familiar. Looking through windows, watching people do their daily activities and even finding an internet café all managed to settle her nerves. She found that Yui's defense was hard to argue against but she also knew her and Kuroi were different.

It was after sitting on a fence next to the beach, absorbing the calming sounds of the waves and crowds chattering that she decided to return to the inn and face Kuroi. She walked quickly, resisting the urge to simply run and burst into her room. Getting her keys back from the clerk, she stepped in front of the room and paused. "It feels like," she said with the keys pointing towards the doorknob. "If I don't even go inside I can be happy forever. But…that's not me. If there's a problem I want to face it and I want to solve it, especially when it's somebody this important to me."

Opening the door, Konata saw Kuroi flipping through television channels. "Konata! Hurry up and come in, it's okay. Everything is solved!"

"You…seem really happy about it," the otaku replied, feeling an excitement build inside of her from the cheery tone in her teacher's voice. She placed her wallet and keys on the counter and sat next to her girlfriend. "So, what's the solution?"

"Well, we don't really need the solution yet. It can wait as long as it needs to but…once we do it everything will be clear Konata. I really have a lot of faith in this decision."

"Just tell me what it is and what's been getting you so cranky," Konata eagerly requested.

"Just wait until tonight's festival okay? Then you'll understand everything, including what why I've had to hide my problem from you."

"Ok Nanako, I'll put my faith in you. I can't wait for tonight. I've been really worried about you so," the teenager snuggled into her teacher's chest before continuing, embracing every ounce of this emotion spilling into her. "I'm just relieved we can fix this. I was honestly scared that something awful would happen."

"Don't worry Konata…I really believe this could work," Kuroi said as she petted Konata's head, pulling the blue bush towards her neck as she watched blindly whatever was airing on the television, enjoying the warming girl in her grasp, the sweetness almost emitting off her. She loved her, she just somehow couldn't say it. Why? She didn't know but she placed her hopes in this plan yet in the back of her mind, a phrase began to play, a phrase that scared her. _"But it can't really be that simple can it?"_

* * *

Author: Took forever to write this, a few hours to say the least. A lot happened this chapter so I cut off the plan Kuroi came up with and put it in the next chapter. With my outlining this story should end with chapter 21. Though I'm worried things are getting too serious. Feels like someone is going to get shot or something. And I felt a slight OOC in Konata but the situation sort of called for it I guess. Just want to make sure Konata doesn't appear like a sucker for accepting a so-called plan to fix everything. I might have to edit the way she responds to that later. But overall I like how I did this chapter and like what happened, I just don't know if it fits the rest of the fanfic so tell me what you readers think, even if it's anonymous reviews. Then again this pretty much the final arc, there's basically three chapters to go so a mood shift is sorta expected.

Konata: Rushed a bit huh? I hope there's not a lot of errors.

Kuroi: So, is that good ending a guarantee? Everything's going to be sweet and dandy with Konata and me? Or are you going to try and pull off some stupid creative ending where we end up miserable?

Konata: This isn't Lucky Future, I don't want suicide and plays! Tentacle Rape is my anti-drug.

Kuroi: That's a good girl, come here, let me give you a kiss. Wait...what was that about tentacles?

Author: Yes, here's some spoilers. I'm not spoiling anything. There ya go.

Konata: What a bad joke.

Kuroi: Especially since he's assuming people are excited to read his story. How cocky.


	19. Chapter 19:Burning Under the Rain

Hidden Candy

Chapter 19: Burning Under the Rain

Late morning heat continued to roast the Kanagawa district town with the afternoon feeling like just a good meal's time away. Yui decided to eat alone at whatever diner she found first, paying little attention to price as long as there weren't two digits in front of the decimal. Before her now was a half eaten pile of pancakes with a full cup of milk to help down it, instead ignoring it all for the thoughts twirling in her head, like the tape now dancing around her fingers. It felt odd now, holding that absolute evidence against her own cousin and friend. The extended justification Yui gave belittled the hesitation in her heart as much as it could but failed to accomplish much. "Family's still family," she muttered, quickly hating how confirmed she sounded, as if whatever issue she faced already had an obvious solution.

A loud, obnoxious sigh ripped through her throat and she dropped her arms to the table, her head following soon after against the limbs. Quick mental images of bursting into an otaku's room ready to play and leisurely summer trips much like this one flew through her shut eyes. "I hate feeling so bad, I just wanna play!" she whined, creaking out a weak moan afterwards. "I just want to have fun with Konata again, not bother with all this crap. But still…I'm doing the right thing. Can't change my mind about that…"

A bell chimed as the front door of the small diner opened, a familiar blonde explaining to one of the waitresses that she was merely looking for a friend. She skimmed the room until noting the familiar, natural face of relaxation under rounded, green hair-who was returning the tape to its recorder without concerning herself of what people asked of it. "Hey Yui-san," Kuroi greeted, shining a welcoming grin to battle that pushed brow on the officer's face. A giant cartoon vein felt like the only appropriate visual missing from the face. "Huh? What's up? Why are you looking so mad?"

"Before I tell you…I just wanted you to know that the reason I called you over here is because I want to hear it from your mouth," Yui said.

"Hear what?"

"Why you're dating Konata."

Instantly, Kuroi attempted to pull off a genuine expression of shock, raising her eyebrows along with her voice-if only by a bit to show some sort of emotion besides fear."What in the world makes you think I'm dating Konata?"

It wasn't time to play. Yui pulled out her tape recorder but kept it over her side of the booth. With a single press of the 'Play' button, Konata's entire conversation with her cousin could be heard; the statements necessary to prove the connection between her and Kuroi popping up in just the first couple of sentences alone but Yui played it all. No point in repeating what she said to Konata in order to justify her actions, the tape could do that. "I have all the evidence I need."

Kuroi felt an old sensation in her, one fresh from her high school years, sort of a rebellious chord strung in her mind. It felt more like a challenge by some authority that thought it could have its way. She rested her arm on the back of the seat and placed one leg on the knee of the other before letting out a confident sigh. Even at her age she was fighting the police. "So you've caught me, whatcha going to do?"

"I already have everything set up but before that I just want to hear the answer to my question."

"Fine," replied Kuroi, no longer letting that fleeting emotion move her. She placed both feet on the ground and ordered a juice before saying anything past the subject. It was only when the waitress placed her glass down, popping a striped straw into it, that she started talking again. "I'm in the same boat as you Yui-san. I never really expected or even fantasized about dating one of my students, it just sort of happened. But Konata's pretty special you know?"

Yui deciding to try finishing her breakfast, finding it much larger than what she expected but putting that fact aside so she had something to do as her friend added reason to her actions.

"It's really all a bunch of little mishaps and her determined flirting that made me cough out a date. She said that if I went out one time with her and rejected her that she'd leave me alone about it. So that's what I did, I went out with her but…I had fun, a lot of fun. She's really different from what I expected and I can honestly say I had a great time with her."

"Well, yeah, anyone can have a good first date. It doesn't mean you date one of your students."

"I know, I know. And the day after that we were already found out by three of her friends!" A good laugh pushed the teacher's smile back even further. "And we seriously discussed the consequences and everything…actually; we did that at a diner just like this one. That's kinda weird. Now that I think about it. Konata and I really hang out at a lot of diners, probably my fault for wanting to eat so much. You can blame me if she gets fat."

Yui couldn't help but reply with a chuckle and a grin. "Really, but no matter how seriously you discussed it the risks were still big. You could have lost your job, don't you care about that?"

"Yeah, I do. I know what you're saying…it's just, I guess I was happy. She made me happy so I took a stupid risk and went for it…and after all the time we've spent with each other I can't really keep this smile off my face. Konata's a lot more grown up than I thought but she's still so optimistic and cheerful. She's just special. When you fall in love, you'll know what I mean."

"I'm married Kuroi-san."

"What? When did this happen?!"

"I've always been married; you just kept assuming I was single like you." The two fell quiet, staring at each other, one with a blank face at the sudden news and one expecting a simple 'Oh' in response. Instead they dealt each other a burst of laughter, enough to disturb the other customers along with the intensity in the air.

"I had no idea, honestly!" Kuroi cried out. "You were married this entire time?!"

"Yeah, we've been together for a while now, before I even met you."

"Yeah, it's a shame I never knew that about you, especially after all the stupid crap I must have said to you! So…we're even now right? I know your secret, you know mine? We can call off this whole little chase and burn that tape right?"

"No!" Yui said between laughs, quick enough to be taken seriously but soft enough to not invoke a feeling of hostility. "To be honest…such a stupid risk, can you really say something like that was worth it? Especially now that I have this tape in my hand?"

"Well, if Konata and I were meant to be together this would have been our only chance before she graduates and goes away. If we didn't take that first date I wouldn't feel as happy as I do now and I wouldn't want to make Konata as happy as I do now. Besides, you know I don't usually date just for some fun." Kuroi rose from the booth, digging in her wallet and dropping some coins onto the table to pay for her drink. "But it was a stupid risk I don't regret making. I'd risk more if it was necessary. There's worst things to regret in life Yui-san." She wanted to add 'much worst' but felt that it would hint at a turmoil she wished to keep to herself for now, until tonight that is.

Konata flipped through the last volume of Gurren Lagann School Edition, watching the ending unveil before her with half her usual interest. Today her reading position was on her side with her head in a palm as she used her one free hand to turn the pages to the author's note and adverts for other manga by the same publisher. "A good read," she said. "But is acting so excited and pumped really effective in real life?"

Usually she never questioned gar and hot blooded manliness but her behavior an hour ago, that eager excitement she presented to her girlfriend at the simple sound of a 'plan' to fix everything continued to haunt her with a murky kind of regret that her chest absorb like water sinking into the soil. "Maybe I made my route too easy for her to navigate…what happens when a dating sim accidentally triggers its own flag?"

A knock came at the door, making the small girl rise from the floor and head for the entrance. Somehow she knew who was on the other side though seconds later she realized that perhaps it was just her hoping he was there. Sojiro said his good morning and walked into the room, noting the manga on the table and took a seat. Konata asked if he wanted some juice she saved but he declined, returning from strolling the town after breakfast for photo ops. "I just wanted to be with my daughter, we haven't been together much since the trip started. I wanted to give you and Kuroi-san some space but I can't help myself it seems. It's odd but just seeing you two in the same room away from me feels like you've already left the house and moved into hers."

"I know, it feels really cool to be able to choose which house I can sleep over at," Konata said, cracking a tiny smile at the childish sound of her words, she could imagine a happily divorced couple and their kid saying something like this, almost in an awkward, demented sort of way. A camera was handed to her from across the table.

"I've organized all the pictures I could take of you and Kuroi-san. Did you bring your flash drive or should I just email them to you?" asked Sojiro.

"Email them to me but I gotta send this one to my phone." Konata found the one she wanted, remembering her hope that her father would take a snapshot as she experienced the moment firsthand. It wasn't anything amazing objectively; Kuroi managed to sneak up on Konata and lifted her into the air like a lion cub. The strength was surprising but more than that was the smile below her body, that sheer happiness painted all over her lifter's face, it made her slightly stiff and harder to hold. Eyes gleaming an emerald green and curved lips which hinted at diamond teeth behind them-such a phenomenal sight, Konata never wanted to forget it. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Konata dug through her options menu and set the photo as her new wallpaper. "Her breasts sure look good in this picture."

"W-well, anyway," Sojiro said, not wishing to spend his usual time of complimenting women with his daughter today, he had another reason for coming there. "How is everything with the relationship so far?"

"It's going fine." Konata said, finding herself responding in a routine. "Well…not really actually. That was a lie. To be honest…um…Nanako is really going through some sort of mysterious issue right now. She's been hiding from me for a month. She says she has a magical plan to solve everything and I probably acted a bit too excited about it and agreed."

"And how are you?"

"I guess…I just want to see her happy again. I'm a bit irritated to be honest."

"That's normal. As long as you realize that you're allowed to be irritated as well but…do you have any idea what this issue might be?"

"No…not at all. She keeps evading my questions and keeping everything to herself. It makes me really worried and even though she knows how I feel she keeps doing it." Konata's lips began to dance furiously on their own. Her brow furrowed and her focus no longer seemed attached to her father. "I mean, we already past all the hard stuff right? In the beginning the taboo stuff was gone and ever since then we've been really happy together but she just" Her lips stopped their beat and began to quiver along with the wetness gleaming over her eyes. "…she just keeps this kind of secret to herself and doesn't even care how I feel! It's driving me nuts! I mean, I tell her that she can say whatever's on her mind but it's like she doesn't care at all."

How a lamp switched on but had yet to be plugged in finally felt the surge of electricity to the bulb so did Sojiro's fatherly instincts, which made him sit to his daughter's side and hold her close to his chest. As tough as she was, everyone has to cry a little; at least that's what he told himself. The resistance he put up to withhold his anger was mighty. Girls weren't supposed to make their lovely girlfriends cry so miserably-but he knew that was a foolish thought, just wishful thinking of a yuri fan. "Konata…the hard stuff never leaves; it just comes in different forms and degrees. You two have done your share of arguing and problem solving and every time you finish you get closer than ever before. But…I really don't know what to say about this situation. Kuroi-san doesn't seem like the kind of person to hide something like that…perhaps it's quite serious. Oh…" He stopped himself. " I shouldn't be saying such grim things like this."

"No….it's okay. It was nice to hear your honest opinion about it." Said Konata, wiping her eyes. "But tonight I'm getting the answer out of her mouth no matter what."

"Stay firm Konata, you have to make her know you mean business."

"Yeah, I know Dad."

" Your mother and I went through a questionable path ourselves. Didn't know if we really wanted to date each other since we were friends for so long but…since we were both open and firm about our feelings it's obvious things worked out for the best. And my reward in the end is you, so make sure you get this problem out of the way and be happy again." He rubbed her head and gave a little peck on the cheek.

"Don't worry, I'll try my best. This flat chest of my mine will unlock all sorts of inner power," she proudly said. "No matter what, I have no doubt that Nanako and I love each other so it'll work out somehow."

Yui walked down the sidewalk, blindly checking out the stores without any intent to go inside or even window shop-forgetting even the promise she made to her husband to get a souvenir. One hand remained glued to the inside of her pocket, holding the tape tightly with her fingers alone. _"A stupid risk huh?"_ To what limit would her friend strive for just to stay with Konata? Any suggestion that Kuroi held malicious intents was ridiculous along with any severe suspicions of Konata's friends but accidents do happen and the more she questioned her own motives, the more she pondered if they could actually keep themselves hidden until graduation ends. She found herself cheering inside for them to accomplish that but her brain refused to stop ticking away at the negative and realistic perspective etched into her head.

"Oh, hello Narumi-san," Minami said, stopping the officer in her tracks with the sudden attack of words. Yui released the tape from her touch and waved at the trio in front of her. It seems like Konata never returned to the group after their argument. A temptation to call her was quickly rejected. Hiyori then stepped up to grab the attention.

"So where's Konata?" she asked.

"I don't know, she went off on her own," replied Yui, who rubbed the back of her head. It wasn't a lie but avoiding discussion of the argument sure felt like one, especially since the fujiyoshi staring at her could easily predict what would have occurred between the two after the officer took her cousin outside. "But you know…can I ask you girls a question?"

"Sure," Minami replied. Yutaka kept silent, nodding her answer. Two out of three, whatever Hiyori's decision was, it was null.

"Konata and Kuroi-san dating…do you guys think it's alright?" Yui asked.

The tall girl stood firmly as her small friend took a step back behind her, it was wise not to answer immediately and think their answer through, they didn't want to lie but they couldn't squeal on the hosting couple that placed such trust in them. Hiyori, however, knew what she wanted to say. "I think it's fantastic!" she proudly cheered. "Such a loving relationship, I don't see any reason why they shouldn't be together."

Yui looked at the meganekko, figuring such a rebuttal was typical of someone in the know. She turned to Minami and her sister. "What about you guys? Iwasaki-san? I already know about the secret relationship so you can talk about it."

"If it's no problem then, then I will speak my mind. I think…I think that if there is happiness and awareness…there's no problem with the couple. If they need to fight for their love, then that's what is necessary as well."

"Minami-chan," Yutaka muttered in bewilderment.

"That's what you really think then huh? Yu-chan? I'm really interested in your opinion." Yui asked.

"I'll agree with Minami-chan," bravely said the shrimp who clenched her guardian's shirt from the back. It felt like a mental fight for a just cause, the petite girl could not find reason to resist, especially after her friends' bold statements. The officer sighed, as if to say that was enough, before walking away from the group.

"Ok, I'll see you guys at the festival tonight."

"Where are you going Narumi-san?" Hiyori asked, having to almost yell with how much distance quickly formed between them and Yutaka's cousin.

"I'm headed to the beach. I'll just hang out there for a while and probably explore the town some more. I'll be back long before we need to get ready."

Picking up the pace, it felt like just sitting on the beach in silent thought would be the solution she needed. As she started jogging, she asked herself _"What kind of solution am I looking for?"_ What was her goal with all this? Was it to protect Konata from public shame, it didn't feel like it anymore. A snap of weakness, only temporarily, made her judged herself as unreasonable. "I'm right in doing what is best for my family. But what's all this pain going to do? Just make my friend lose her job and my cousin hate me?"

Surprised, she found that the beach was only past the line of small housed businesses beside her. Seagulls flew overhead with eyes hooked on fish yet to be caught, squawking for no apparent reason. Yui began running, just wanting to go to the beach, to where the answers were. And once she hopped down the wooden steps she past only yesterday a feeling of hope waved over her. Maybe a metal detector could trace a treasure chest with the answer. Pulling out her tape recorder, she held it tightly as she sat on the sandy hill leaning into the water, listening to the conversation again. "Why am I so confused? I was so confident before. I can't let Konata hating me stop me from doing the right thing."

"Konata's not gonna hate ya," a voice laughed out, entertained by such a dreadful and apparently ridiculous fear. Kuroi gave out a free smile, waving at her friend and threat to her relationship before taking a rough seat beside her. She took off her shoes and placed them to the side, suggesting the officer do the same. "Konata's…really not that kind of person. She'll be mad but she always thinks of how others feel. There's no way she could hate you at all...she talks about you a lot."

"I guess you _would_ know, being her girlfriend and everything. Is she a good kisser?"

"Eh? Got a little of the Izumi gene in you huh?" Kuroi bumped her elbow into her friend, glad to hear some girly laughter played back at her. Was the 'newly' married woman desperate for a laugh or really enjoying herself?

"Yeah, I should know better than that huh?" Yui folded her arms on top of her knees and rested her chin atop the bare bridge formed between her joints. Staring out at the waters, she wished to mimic its clarity for her own thoughts. "Konata's a good girl…with a lot of questionable material on her computer. Has she ever shown you all her games and pictures?"

"Oh yeah, I've seen them." It sounded like a boast more than an informative statement. "And to answer your other question she is a pretty good kisser. But I guess we've had lots of practice. I was actually the one who moved in for the first kiss ya know? We had been out three or four times before we got to that point but she seems to have a lot of restraint for such a strange girl."

Yui closed her eyes, enjoying the sea breeze as it swept across the sands, sending her hair into flight. "I wonder what I should do? This tape is becoming more of a burden on me than I thought. Bet you want to say I should toss the tape into the sea."

"Would you?"

"No, I don't think so. But…maybe I'll hold onto this tape for a while."

"You won't turn it in to the cops?"

"I think…I just needed a weapon against you. You kind of just crossed a boundary and starting dating my cousin so suddenly, kinda officially outed her as well. It didn't help hiding it from me either but to be honest, now that I've heard from both of you and see that smile on your face, it reminds me of when I was in love with Kiyotaka. Konata has that smile too along with those tomato cheeks too! So think of it like blackmail. Torment my Konata and I'll get you good."

Kuroi couldn't help but laugh, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. "Thanks, I'll make sure to remember that!"

"So…while things are still good, you wanna tell me what's been going on with Konata and you?"

The blonde rose to her feet and bent over to wipe the sand off her knees. Another breeze breathed against the coast, giving a better, authentic salty wind than the overcrowded beaches only a bus ride from the city. "I think I'm about to take another stupid risk."

"I hope it works out for you. Don't do anything rash."

"I've thought this over enough. Rashness is sort of impossible now. Oh, just so you know ahead of time, you won't see Konata and me at the festival. We'll be going to a special spot. Tell everyone else."

"Sure thing. I hope you two have fun." Yui had to yell now; Kuroi continued walking away from her, seemingly lost in her thoughts. "Don't forget the blackmail!" Her friend was out of sight. She pulled the tape out one more time, picturing herself tossing it into the ocean. "I'm taking a stupid risk but tossing this out would be too stupid."

Rainbow varied lights spread across the night sky, splashes of paint against a black canvas sprinkled generously with glittering lights invisible through the collected city fog. Every eatery and recreational establishment surrendered to the large, lit clutter of booths infested with people wrapped in yukatas, hands full of money ready to splurge on festival games and snacks. At the Dolphin Hope inn the rooms had yet to be cleared out to join the fellow party goers in town. Hiyori made certain to dress first in order to borrow Sojiro's camera and snapshot Minami and Yutaka helping each other into their robes. "Perfect, make sure the bows are tightly wrapped!" she cheered.

"Tamura-san, do you have to record this?" Yutaka pleaded, feeling the bow hugging her softly but comfortably, letting out a squeal at the tug. Minami told her to try walking around in it. She was glad to see the fragile girl could hold it up.

"Of course, don't be embarrassed. This is our memories of our wonderful night to the festival." The artist had to hold back her tongue, really hoping the poor target of her inspirations would feel embarrassed or even grateful enough towards her watcher for assisting with the clothing that she would feel a strong urge to pay her back, in _any way _possible. "Oh yeah, you know Kuroi-sensei and Konata-senpai are going by themselves to the festival?"

"Yes, they already informed us." Minami said. "They want to really enjoy this time alone."

"Yui-neesan seems a bit more open about them after figuring out. I wonder what happened to her today," Yutaka said, walking behind the tallest girl in the room and tying the ribbon at the back of her yukata. "She also said something like she better start accepting unique relationships now because one might bloom soon. Do you know what that means Tamura-san?" Minami froze in place. Did Yui catch on to her?

"Makes you want to find someone to cuddle up with as the fireworks go off huh?" Hiyori said, slipping the suggestion into the two's subconscious. Minami felt her body stiffened at the idea. A hand rattled against their room door. "You three ready?" Yui asked.

"Yeah, just a minute!"

"Aim carefully, it'll hurt if you miss," Kuroi whispered into her girlfriend's ear, keeping her hands atop those small shoulders. Konata closed one eye and squinted with the other, wiping her forehead, not letting a racing heart slip out a mistake. Her touch had to be just right. She squeezed tightly and let her body do the rest, sight blank for only a second.

"This is for you Nanako!"

"Oh yeah!"

"Looks like you've won yourself a checkers board," said the short haired clerk behind the counter. He took the prize down and collected the toy gun from the player. Konata let out her hands and felt the box sink into her palms, turning to her girlfriend and passing it to her.

"For you my lady, to keep you company when I am gone."

"Thanks Konata! No one's ever won a board game for me."

"That sounds kinda sarcastic, do you really like it?" she asked. "They don't have kisses for prizes."

"Ugh…that was just awful Konata. Can't you come up with any better lines than that?" Kuroi playfully moaned.

"Not too often or your expectations of me would increase. I need my lazy days of no thinking and no working."

"Sounds like a school night to me." The teacher felt the creases forming in her royal blue yukata, the salmon colored flower pattern blending with the waves of cloth. She held those blue bangs back and lovingly kissed the tanned forehead of the otaku. "Don't worry, this is a fantastic gift. You used a gun to get it after all. So, what booth do you want to try next? Or maybe you want to grab something to eat?"

It was difficult choosing the next activity; the teenager was too excited to recall all of what she saw on their way past the festival entrance. Kuroi had made her affection known tonight; smuggling kisses to every unprotected part of that bubbly cheeked face and occasionally sending a rub or tug her way. They didn't cross over to the next source of entertainment without hands held and when it was snack time, the teacher was insistent on paying. The stone benches were vacant; it was expected due to the celebration just folding out, luckily it was one of the few under a thick topped tree bristling with life. It added a pleasing scent to their food. It was easy to tell what the other preferred, Kuroi snacked on fried chicken and Konata picked out a pretzel nearly the size of her head but they both took a bite out of the other anyway.

Large gaps could still be seen in the passing crowds though the two were not surprised. The couple was waiting at the front when the celebratory fireworks were launched into the sky. Kuroi said she rather they enjoy everything the booths offered and a light snack now before the real fireworks show began. At first Konata confused that for something sexual until she felt a gentle breath blowing against her ear. "And before they start the show I want to take you somewhere special, a place I set up just for the two of us." Now that must have been sexual!

"So where are we going?" Konata asked, making sure to swallow the fried chicken she was offered from her girlfriend's plate before speaking. "Before the fireworks I mean."

"I want it to be a surprise, maybe it can count as my anniversary gift for you."

"Sounds great. Is this part of the magical solution you were talking about?"

"Yeah."

Konata began kicking her feet into the air, her legs hanging off the edge of the resting spot as she held her pretzel in one hand and supporting her weight with the other as she leaned back. Clearing her throat, the otaku spoke up again. "You know, I don't mind talking about it right here before we do anything. I know you're probably worried about ruining the night but I rather know what's going on soon. I've been a little bothered by the fact that you've kept something this big a secret from me for so long."

"And I'm sorry for that. I know I've put you through some stress and I hope tonight I can make it up to you. The problem I guess has been communication. Something is stopping me from completely saying everything I want to say to you." Right after releasing those words from her lips a small hand moved over hers, pressing softly against her skin. A warm smile puffed up on Konata's face, a smile under a soul caressing gaze.

"Thanks for telling me. That's all I wanted to hear. But what kind of communication problems? Is there any other dark parts of your mysterious past as Snake Nana?" A tease or two couldn't hurt the mood; the otaku was hoping to see a grin or hear a chuckle but met an unpleasant silence.

"It's a bit scary actually, well, I'm really terrified Konata." Chuckles popped out this time, nervous ones. "The way I feel about you, I can't imagine being with someone else. I want to say it but do you think I would be rushing?"

"What do you mean? Is that the problem?"

"No. It's just that I want to be with you, no matter what. I think…I'm utterly, utterly happy."

"I've felt that way for a while, you're a slowpoke," Konata said, bragging about her wondrous ability to feel emotions, humming a victory melody into her speech. "I was afraid _I_ might have been rushing too much. I didn't want to scare you into a hole or anything. "

"You know what, let's leave here now. I want to be with you at the special place right now."

"R-really sensei?"

The answer was clear when her hand was captured by the older woman who lifted her portable pleasure from the bench and carried her along a wind of excitement that moved from her feet to the teenager's. They dodged the crowds and ignore the sights and sounds of their surroundings. A better world was discovered, one just for them and Kuroi wanted to show it to Konata, that special place she spent her afternoon preparing. "W-what about the fireworks sensei?"

"Don't worry, there's a better place for that!"

Before Konata realized it, they were now running through the town like bandits fresh from the raid, leaving by passers heading towards the festival baffled. Kuroi could hear the laughter and light breathing behind her. _"This is really going to work, it really is! This is awesome! This world has some justice left after all!"_

Sounds of splashing soaked the air as a salty scent reached the couple's nostrils. Kuroi's dashing came to a stop but she refused to pause for a break, pulling Konata along as they went down the same steps that took them to a fun day in the sun, that guided Yui to the sands where she spared the two from her wrath and where another turning point in the taboo relationship would occur. Grains began to sneak into their sandals so they took them off and quickly returned to running again. The teenager couldn't come up with a single conjecture of their destination or the reason they were now sprinting across the beach holding hands. Only murder mysteries and monsters hiding in the waters came to mind. Suddenly her eyes were covered. "Okay Konata, we're almost there so let me guide you. You'll love it!"

"Okay, guide me," she excitedly replied. Slowly, with careful steps, she began marching forth, praying a hermit crab wouldn't snap at her toes.

For a few seconds the sound of the waves lessened and then returned shortly after. "Konata, your feet are about to get a little wet, don't worry, the water is only ankle deep."

"O-okay, but where are we going? You're not going to drown me for my inheritance are you?"

"What inheritance do you have? Maybe I'll change my mind and give in to my little devil."

"I knew you were after my videogames and precious data. Those gigabytes of pictures are mine."

"You can have those," Kuroi teased back. Traveling along one of the small cliffs that embedded itself onto the coast, they continued until there was a clearing. Konata noticed her feet were dry and the ground became sturdier. "Okay, you can look now!"

Green eyes flickered at the scene, surprised to see the moon's light able to reach such a cranny in the cliff. It was a rather large patch of sand no bigger than a moderate bedroom, against a mountainous wall and minuscule water attempting to climb the sands. "W-wow, what…what is all this?"

"It's one of the hidden spots on this beach I told you about. Everyone thinks the beach practically ends at the cliff so no one ever thinks about searching around it and crossing a little water."

"And all that over there?" Multiple blankets were placed on the ground with a basket sitting on top. Candles encircled the small area, each waiting to be lit, a task Kuroi immediately sought to, pulling a lighter from beside the basket and bending over each one. She made certain they were all well distanced away from the blankets before inviting Konata to sit with her.

"Tonight, this will be our private world," she said, taking her seat after Konata, arranging herself so her girlfriend was between her legs, wrapped in her arms. "Just for us."

"This is really nice," Konata said. "That's all I can say. I'm totally shocked about all this."

"There's nothing wrong with any of it?"

"No, not at all. I love it." How low Konata's voice had gotten surprised her, the cuddling began and soon those small hands found themselves gripping onto the bigger ones, the blue hair pressing against a long neck and dancing under the teacher's chin. No longer resisting, they both closed their eyes and embraced the sound of the ocean massaging the sand, keeping their bodies in close contact within the refreshingly cool night. The light of the moon poking through the drifting clouds seemed to only focus on them like a spotlight on a stage, making it truly feel like their own little world.

"Here Konata, I know it's clichéd but I got some strawberries. Let me feed them to you."

"Romance level 99. You're really pushing all the right buttons," Konata said, opening her mouth once the first strawberry floated above her. She took a bite and wondered if she should take half or all of it but with Kuroi's other hand caressing her face she didn't care, whatever she ate she ate. "Here, I want to feed you too."

Turning around, she reached for the basket and looked up at her teacher's almost glowing eyes with a smile that seemed amused and glad at the short girl's position. Feeding her strawberries felt like putting decorations on the Christmas tree, it was losing its thrill so Kuroi placed her hands behind Konata's back and plopped them both on the ground with the teen resting above her. It became easier now and with her girlfriend's face in full view, she could watch every movement, emotion and spark. "My heart's really pounding fast Nanako."

"Mine too Konata." And once again her hands flowed along that young face hanging above her. Her fingers glided down those cheeks and traced over those lips she loved to kiss. Konata lowered her head and melted against her teacher, rubbing her face this time. Quickly things began to escalate; Kuroi reached for one of Konata's hands and placed it on top of her chest, above the heart. Sending a sweet smile, she said "Don't forget what you do to me, little piglet. You make my heart jump like crazy."

A loud swallow crossed the otaku's throat as she bravely took the event further, pressing Kuroi's hand against her chest. "You too. You really make me feel special Nanako."

"Don't say that, you're special without me."

"You make me feel specialer."

"Don't make up words."

"I can't help it, I can't think of any better ones." A mutual chuckle hummed between the two. Kuroi kissed her again before deciding it was time. She unhurriedly slid from her spot until she was on her side and then grabbed hold of Konata's shoulders, turning the girl on her back and laying her out on the ground. After that she kneel over the petite girl and took soft bites at the neck. A restrained squeal could be heard, she could go further. Their lips were intimately sweetened by contact before the ears became her next target. As she kept close to the side of Konata's face she sent her hands along her girlfriend's torso and chest like the very waves behind them coming up on coast.

Squeals became slight moans and trembling. The waves kept coming, fluctuating between soft and rough. There was a fear of hurting the girl beneath her so she paid close attention to every sound and sight she could grasp, the voice of pleasure escaping those young lips, the warmth coursing through the smaller body. Time had come again, to take this even further. "Konata…" she whispered into her ear. "Let's…do…do you want to make love right now? Right here?"

"Yes, yes I do," Konata said. She turned her head to gaze into those green eyes. "But I want to say something first before we get started, I think it's important I say it or else I don't think it's right to go on like this."

"Go ahead, anything Konata."

"I love you Nanako."

"Konata…" They were words, that's all they were-this is what she told herself. She couldn't recall what held her back up until now, to say those words to the young girl below her, the one who wished to share her body and first love-making experience with her, but all she knew was that this is the moment she waited for, this is the moment she needed. "Konata…I…I love you too."

"Nanako."

"No! I take it back!"

"Nanako?"

Kuroi pushed herself away from the scene and crawled away as if her potential lover revealed a monstrous form underneath that curious and shocked expression stabbing away at her heart. Their private world began to blur and even the clouds above snatched away the moonlight, gathering and growing. Konata crawled halfway to her teacher, afraid of the sudden shift in absolutely everything. "What…what do you mean you take it back? What are you talking about? Is everything okay?"

"I can't say it." Kuroi's eyes began to water, she covered her mouth with both hands, feeling like what she said should never enter the same air she breathed. How could she be happy even breathing if she polluted the air with those words horridly pumping in her heart? "I can't say it…and like it. I…I want to say it, because that's how I feel about you. No, I feel more than just that about you! I just…" Her voice cringed, the air felt fouler. "I just can't say it! Not with even when I'm drunk! Not even with all this atmosphere, all the kissing, all the hugging and cuddling! Not even the smallest pressure of just hearing you say can make it comfortable saying it!"

"D-do you hate me?!" A panic quaked in Konata's voice.

"No…didn't I tell you to never think that? This…this isn't simple at all. This plan's failed! They're just words, why can't I like them?! I do feel that way about you, I feel so strongly about you that I can't sleep sometimes, I can't help but think about you!"

A small drop of water plopped onto the ground. The clouds that formed earlier began to relieve themselves and sent a slight drizzle across the town, the beach was not spared. The moonlight would not return, it was being denied. "Why can't you say it then?" Konata asked, sounding sternly now. Tonight was the final battle wasn't it? After everything, all the training, level ups, item gains and item losses, allies acquired, battle victories, hidden treasures and weapons mastered, could she still not save and keep the queen in the end? She wouldn't accept that. "Tell me Nanako. Now."

"Your future..."

"What?"

"I can't deny you your future! I'm such an idiot! We've been thinking about the wrong thing, we've been wrong about the wrong thing!" Kuroi held her head, not wanting to watch her beloved girlfriend's face of concern and fear degrade into misery as the next words came from her mouth. The chaos scrambling about in her mind was clearing, she just needed a few seconds. "Konata…this entire trip, every first we shared…I was your first date, your first kiss, the first person you held hands with, your first girlfriend, your first love…it's all just a reminder that, just a big fat reminder that's been sticking in our faces the entire time…no matter how mature you are, you're still a kid, you're still young and new to the world."

"Why are you talking about that kind of stuff? Who cares how old I am?"

"Age does matter. In this case, in this horrible situation it does matter! Konata…if you stay with me, I have no doubt in my mind…that I would love you until the day I die, that I would treasure every day and be happy with you but that…that's selfish. If you stay with me, I would be your first and last lover! That's it, like some kind of prisoner."

"What do you mean your prisoner? I love you, what kind of prison is that?!"

"It'd be hell. You would never know what it's like to date other people, you would never know what it's like to live with somebody other than me or what kinds of relationships you prefer, what are your preferred tastes, what helps you grow and become a better person. You would never be the best person you could be, you wouldn't be as happy as you could truly be because I would be locking you away from all those experiences."

"All I want is you…what don't you understand about that Nanako?"

"_You_ don't understand Konata. I'm not the same person I was nine years ago, I'm not the same person I was when I was your age. Holy crap…it's all so clear to me. Konata, I thought I was happy as a delinquent but I was miserable. I did not know who I really was and even to this day, even at this exact moment I'm still learning. I needed change, I needed to open my horizons, I had to experience the world! You're still in high school, you haven't tried working full time, going to college, experimenting. You don't know who you completely are yet and whose to say you will be the same person years from now? Can you honestly say you'll be the same person nine years from now? I never imagined I would date a student. No one expected that!"

"…"

"I understand why I can't say those words to you without feeling miserable now. It feels like I'm just keeping you for myself and I've known it all this time and chose to ignore it, just so I could be with you a little bit longer. Am I really that lonely?"

"What does this mean then? Does it really mean…we have to…" Konata quickly found her own words that she couldn't say. "That we have to break up?!"

Kuroi didn;t budge, her face in smothered into arms. "Even if we stay together…you would eventually regret it, you would hate me and yourself for never trying everything you could and if you ever got too curious, you might do something that would hurt us both when it's too late to go back on anything."

"Nanako…this can't be really happening. You're kidding right? I love you."

"I'm sorry Konata...I'm so sorry."

"There has to be some way, there has to be some way right?" Konata crawled over to her teacher, shaking her arms, hoping for anything to come up, any solution, any answer at all. "There's hope somewhere right? There's hope somewhere right? We can still be together right?"

"I don't know Konata…I just don't know. Right now you can't understand what I'm saying…but in a few years you'll-"

"I want to be with you! I want to be with _you_!"

"Stop." Kuroi was tiring of hearing the same thing being said so miserably. She knew Konata understood, at least the majority of what she said, youth can only envisioned so much but right now the otaku wasn't thinking about the relationship as a whole, she wasn't seeing past the now, the future was darkness to her. "Do you think I would really be comfortable, that I can be happy locking you up like that?" Kuroi revealed her face slowly as she said those words, a merciless river of tears rolling down her face, getting lost in the light rain around them. "I want to be with you too, with all my heart but I just…I just can't let you suffer and lose out on life like that. It isn't right and love shouldn't work out like that."

"Stop speaking with such hopelessness!! There is hope, there is a way! We'll find it! We'll find some way to make this all work out for us! I love you! I really, really love you Nanako!!"

Kuroi's arms wrapped strongly around and pressed her fiercely against her chest moistened by shared tears. "Konata...I can't think of anything, that's probably why I wanted to ignore these thoughts…is there really some hope for us?"

"There has to be a way. We've worked around so many problems before, we can think of a solution, an answer to this problem because we both love each other right? I don't know how but somehow a geeky student got her teacher to go out on a date they both thought might not work out and ever since then we've been super happy. I love every day I spend with you no matter what it's about, I've loved every moment."

"Me too Konata. Every moment I spend with you is so much fun no matter what we're saying or doing. I want to be with you."

"So…how can we be together? This…this is for us so let's think!"

"Konata…"

"..."

"Konata…let's just hope…"

One of the festival workers ran up to the boss, noting the size of the clouds and the consistent amount of rain pouring down. "Yo Boss, the rain could start really pouring hard. You still want to launch the fireworks?"

A short, rather rotund man remained in the wet grass, scratching his balding head before answering the question. "I don't care, these people came to see some fireworks and we only get to do this once a year, launch the fireworks! Even under all the rain they'll burn just nicely."

As the crowds prepared, some with umbrellas, some alone, others together with loved ones and many deciding to return to their hotel rooms and inns, the fireworks soared into the air and exploded marvelously, brightening every eye and sending light through every rain drop. Konata and Kuroi held each other closely on the beach, both hearing the explosions in the air, stuck in a blurred world of misery, hope, a tragic peace, everlasting desire and a rare type of love that still fights even in the storm.

The split second where the festival, the town, the hearts of the people were engulfed by light felt like a declaration of war and boasting of strength to the rain which relentlessly began to fall harder on the unexpected and unprepared.

"_Pour as much as you'd like. You'll never stop us from burning."_

* * *

Author's Note: Whew! Without a doubt, my hardest, most extensive chapter yet! I changed my style a bit but I think I'm pretty satisfied with how everything worked out. The Kuroi and Konata conversation was a bit long but necessary to get every point out but now that I've re-re-reread it over a day after posting the chapter it does seem overdramatic and unbelievable. I was rushing through it since I rented Howl's Moving Castle but I editted it a bit, it just feels like reading from a play or something. Please review and give me your criticisms but before you do, the one thing I do not want to hear is how this doesn't feel like an episode of Lucky Star.

The genre is different from the show and if it isn't obvious I really want to incorporate important and valuable themes and ideas into the story. Besides, this is a serious relationship with two people really in love with each other. It's not all going to be fun and games, especially with such an unusual and strong relationship-but there's been lots of fun and everything before this final arc anyway. Anything else you would like criticize or praise I would love to hear. Two chapters left!


	20. Chapter 20:Hope and Meaning

Hidden Candy

Chapter 20: Hope and Meaning

Lacking any sign of stopping, in fact the faster and now more accompanied spit from the clouds seemed like nature's way of mocking the two stranded in that stasis between cause and effect. Konata crawled into her girlfriend's arms, just pleading for a quick comfort, something reliable and definite. A hug seemed perfect; to be held by the one she loved like always. Kuroi tightly pressed the small teenager against her body, her thin tears getting lost in the rain that soaked their hair and ran down her face before falling onto the girl resting against her.

"Konata…"

"…"

"Konata…let's just hope…"

Konata didn't respond at first, she didn't know if she should. There was something about those words she hated, those words were enemies and they were coming out of the person holding her. Wiggling for freedom, the arms around her yielded to the sudden movement and the otaku crawled away, only a few inches but just enough to not be pulled in again to hear those words repeated. "I don't want to hope! I just want to be with you Nanako. This…doesn't even feel real. I can't tell what's happening or why it's happening." This wasn't them laughing, it wasn't a little bickering, a day spent together or casual talking. Someone found an empty, shaky world and filled it with chaos. "All I know right now is that you said we need to leave each other. I don't want that!"

She didn't understand, Kuroi could see that. There was nothing to say to someone lost in such a panic, at least nothing the teacher could come up with, she was someone equally lost when hearing her own words slip out. Helplessness was all the two could relate with right now. Two pair of green eyes gazed at each other, both hurt and confused but only one unable to tell why. That pair picked herself up and said, "I'm going back to the inn…by myself. I feel, well, I don't know what else I feel. It's kinda too much to take all at once."

Calling her back would accomplish nothing. More than anyone, Kuroi understood the necessity of time to collect one's thoughts. That still did not change her sniffling, her vision blurring and shifting wildly under a coat of tears above reddened skin. She picked herself up as well and looked towards the laid out blankets, the picnic baskets, the food, everything she prepared for a romantic occasion. It needed cleaning up but with just a little resistance from the blanket-which must have hated to be folded-she felt a bubbling anger tighten her chest. She brutally kicked everything over, stomping on everything, and reached for the basket, tossing it into the ocean behind her along with the umbrellas inside it. Soon even standing became a task; Kuroi let her legs give in to her weight and sat down towards the ocean, hugging her legs and staring out the darkened nothingness. She knew it was going to rain today but not this hard, not this painfully.

* * *

"Kyaa!" Yui playfully screamed out, covering her head with her hands until she could find a sanctuary from the downpour. Yutaka and Minami followed after her, the former riding on the latter's back in slumber. The officer turned back, telling her sister's guardian to walk carefully as to not slip. A nod back was enough confirmation of caution being taken and when Yui reverted her attention back to what lied before her she spotted a large tree standing over a stone bench. "There's a spot!" she said, pointing to it like a sun crawling down the horizon.

The two took a grateful sit, Minami laying Yutaka's head on her lap and the rest of the petite body across the center of the portion. "Phew! Lucky us!" Yui said. "Now we can watch all the other people run for their lives huh?"

Too occupied to at least grin, Minami dedicated all her time trying her best to dry Yutaka's hair with her bare hands. She considered the leaves above her from the rain-proof shield of a tree but could imagine bugs and unknown bacteria living inside and chose not to. Their soaked clothes would achieve nothing and as far as she knew no one was carrying any towels or tissues. Yui began letting out giggles at other people escaping from the weather which sounded oddly childish but nonetheless joyous, it was enough to wake up the green haired girl from her protective trance. "I don't even know why I'm like this!" Yui said, wiping her eyes. "It feels like I could just laugh all day!"

"Did something good happen today?" asked Minami, deciding to start up a conversation until umbrellas arrived in the hands of friends and family or whenever the rain would call it quits.

"Yeah, something good happened. Sorta feels like a huge weight fell clear off my shoulders. But there's still something off…" Yui bent over, her fingers between each other but not fully locked together. A couple ran by, she couldn't tell if they were laughing or whining. "I wonder…" she said again, quieter than her previous sentence. "I wonder if I'm a coward or some sort of weird idiot."

"…Why would you think that?"

"Oh, sorry for speaking so miserably! You really don't want to hear an adult groan about life. Things like regret and doubt are typical for people my age!"

Minami shook her head slowly. "I don' mind. It would be nice to talk about something while it rains."

"Good because I was just acting tough. I really do want to talk about this." Somehow Yui slipped in that relieved but still troubled tone quickly after such downing words. "You remember what happened earlier at the ice cream place? I kinda wasn't supposed to know about Kuroi-chan and Konata dating. Well I kinda knew but…you sorta blew it didn't you?"

"Oh…I'm sorry."

"It's okay, you shouldn't even be apologizing to me but, it at least gave me a chance to talk to both of them. I was actually planning to report them to my department for investigation." The officer stopped after that. Her eyes tracked over to the listener's face, waiting for a reaction. Hushed surprise. "Yeah, I know I was being kind of a hard ass to them but…you know, I worked so hard to get some sort of evidence of them and when I finally get it, I decide not to! Konata doesn't know what love is and there's too much at risk. Maybe I just don't want to face the pain and awkwardness that would follow. Konata says she wouldn't hate me but what does a teenager like her know? She's lovestruck by Kuroi-chan, she'll definitely not like me as much or treat me as kindly as she always does right?"

"Izumi-chan…" Minami started, clearing her throat for extra measure. "From all the times I've been with her and what Yutaka-chan has told me…she isn't the kind of person to do that. And…about what you said, about teenagers. I think teenagers can be in serious relationships and fall in love just like adults. We just don't know as much."

"That's a pretty bold thing to say." It was surprising to hear too but it felt wonderful.

"When I watch Kuroi-sensei and Izumi-chan I feel warm. I can tell they are in love with how they act around each other and how they speak. Maybe…because of your love for both of them you did what did, the investigation and deciding to stop it."

"Hohoho! Big words coming from the young ones these days!" Yui playfully said before sending the poor girl through a head rubbing, twisting the green hairs atop her head with a single, excited hand. "Love must make people stupid huh?"

"Actually I read a scientific journal that said feelings of love actually makes the brain use less reasoning and logic," Minami explained, sounding unusually excited to inform the woman about it.

"Scientists said that? Wait! Why are you reading about love?"

Minami's face burnt red and sent her head down with hopes the bangs would shade the color from frisky eyes. However, she forgot to stop petting Yutaka who slept quietly on her lap. The evidence was handed over without much challenge. "Sometimes…people need to take a risk, with all their power and knowledge with them."

"And do you think that's enough?" Yui asked.

A small, content smile creaked onto Minami's lips in response. Her hands stopped moving and stayed atop Yutaka's head. "You don't know unless you try."

"I like your answer Iwasaki-chan," Yui said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the tape, clapping her hands together in pray. "Please let this be the last dumb thing I do for a while." And with that the tape was hurled towards the ground and stepped on. Against everything she felt and believed, she smashed it into pieces and kicked the remains to the side, taking her own risk this time to support the risk of two special people she loved. It felt wrenching and relieving to do, like picking up a drifter or meeting up with people only your friends knew, it was liberating, scary but exciting all the same.

* * *

Returning to the inn, as dried as a shake down could achieve, Kuroi walked up to the desk clerk and asked for the keys to her room. When the young woman turned around to pick up the keys from the rack there was only one left for the room, it was obvious Konata didn't run off somewhere but what did the teacher expect when she entered the room? What could she accomplish, she wondered as each step became shakier and harder to make. Assuming the older woman was drunk, judging by the false mask of fatigue on her face, the clerk kept her distance.

Expecting to hear crying, a conversation on the phone, or even ramblings of her girlfriend through the door, Kuroi was surprised to meet only silence. Opening the door revealed the room to be empty but lit. A note was left on the table, sending a jolt to the teacher's heart. Quickly heading towards it and snatching it up, she popped it open.

"I'm in the baths, be back soon….Konata"

"Oh…that's good then. I'll leave her alone for a while." Kuroi confessed to herself that she would need time to rest as well and gather her thoughts. An unwelcomed turning point arrived in their relationship but now they had to kick it out and imagining how Konata perceived all this caused her to cringe in shame and regret. To that unaware sweetheart this was all a surprise attack and there was nothing to defend herself with.

* * *

Sighing with recovery from the rain's chills, Konata refilled her bucket with hot water and soaked an orange sponge in the water, not squeezing it in order to fully enjoy the heat against her skin. In times of panic and worry she always believed the body should at least be happy even if the mind and heart isn't. Washing her hair was already taken care of so now there was only time for relaxing and sitting amongst her thoughts and reflections. To say the least, she was lost in a panic. Those ominous words on the beach had yet to sink in; all that dwelled was despair at the thought of breaking up with Kuroi. _"Why does she want to break up? Because I'm inexperienced? Why does that matter to her?"_

Konata remembered to wash behind her ears, realizing whenever she began thinking about the beach she would focus on the same spot continuously. _"She said I would regret it if I stayed with her…because I would miss out on life? But life isn't just about dating right? That's just one aspect. I want to be with Kuroi…forever, I think. I've never felt like this for someone else."_

Konata stopped and began washing her arm. _"She didn't mean what she said; maybe she was just blurting out stuff. No, that's what a yandere says right? I can't deny hearing what she said, she meant it. But…if she's serious what does that mean for us? Are we going to break up? I don't want that at all."_

The more she delved into her feelings and thoughts, the more everything sunk in but the more everything unraveled into a tapestry of confusion and complexity as well. Any idea that was possible came to life, every type of reasoning, solution and problem rose up with strength and expanded. _"Maybe I really am just a kid, maybe I don't really know what I want but doesn't that make these years hard and pointless then? What if I do know what I want? What kind of things can't I understand just because I'm young? I can trust Nanako though; she wouldn't trick me or anything. She must know what she's talking about. She…she isn't the same person she was when she was my age but…"_ A trembling bounced within her, making her feet slide a bit along the tiled floor, almost kicking her bucket over. "I'm happy like this, I don't wanna change. I don't want to break up." The misery was in now, poison rapidly spreading through the body. It felt like being told to break up right there on the spot, coldly, harshly, and without mercy or a chance to change it all. "I don't want to lose her."

A small creaking could be heard from the far end of the baths, the front door was opening and stepping through it was Kuroi, towel in hand and one wrapped around her torso and waist. She instantly spotted Konata, who spotted her as well-the typical glance everyone gave to whoever entered a room was extended between them. The teacher gave off a delicate _"I'll just leave you alone, okay?"_ smile before walking to the other side of the room, a clear ten twenty feet away from her girlfriend who she could practically feel the pain leaking out of and into the air. Konata's puppy eyes traced the woman's movements. "It's okay," she said. "You can sit over here."

Kuroi paused, just having placed her hand on the knob for hot water. She wanted to say it was okay but that cracked voice coming from behind her, that pleading stare touching her backside, it was impossible not to want to make the girl wielding them as happy as she could. Taking her hand off the knob, she gripped tightly onto her back and sponge and took a seat next to Konata. They both looked into each other's eyes and left a little smile before facing the wall, Kuroi letting her towel slip down. "I…I don't want to break up," Konata started.

"I don't either. Right now, it's the last thing on Earth I wanna do. Especially with how painful it would be for both of us Konata. Don't think…I decided on this lightly. It's always been in the back of my mind, I've thought about it in bits and ignored it but it was still there."

"Well it doesn't feel that way to me. It feels like…you just want to leave me."

"Konata!" Kuroi quickly lowered her voice, not to avoid the curious ears of the other women but to not show excessive anger towards someone on the verge of being heartbroken. It wasn't right to be short tempered with a girl in this delicate period. "Konata, what have I told you? Never doubt how I feel about you. I really...this is the not what I want either. I really don't want to leave you, I can't even begin to imagine being without you. I like you a lot Konata, more than I've liked anyone else. Hell, _like_ isn't even the right word, it's nowhere close. I can be myself around you and more, I'm happy just being with you. I just wish…it would feel right to express it to you properly but I can't. I feel like if I keep you to myself I will be rejecting you the opportunity I was lucky enough to have when I was your age, to experience a lot of new things and learn more about myself than I've ever known."

"I know…"Konata muttered back, "how you feel about me, I was just blurting out stuff. I'm sorry. But what if this is who I'm supposed to be? Not everyone is going to change like you did. Who says I'll regret staying with you?"

"And who says you wouldn't?"

"Nanako." Konata carefully rose from the seat and slipped onto her knees, moving slowly towards her teacher's bare body. Kuroi whispered her name, not knowing what was happening but Konata simply let out a low, wishful "It's okay." She moved closer towards her teacher, between her legs and didn't stop until her head rested firmly against that naked chest. The teenager wrapped her arms around the woman and pressed her entire front against Kuroi's. Against her ear was the loud, quick thumping of her girlfriend's heart as her body sunk into the growing warmth caressing her. "Sensei, this is enough to tell me how you feel. You don't have to say it. This is enough for me."

"Konata…this isn't right. If I can't even say it to you, then it's clear I have a problem. Please don't try and run away from this. That's what I've been doing, ignoring what I've feared and all it does it cause trouble. It's because of how strongly I feel about you that I did that but I have to use that same emotion to do what's right for you." Konata grabbed her teacher's hand and placed it on her nearly flat breast, moving it over to her heart before hugging her again. Kuroi could feel it too, the same emotions she knew the small girl could sense in her as well.

"I want to do something with you," the otaku said. "But we can't do it here."

"Konata?" She was silenced with a kiss.

"And we can't do it in the room, I might be a screamer. I want us to find a hotel room somewhere Nanako."

"Konata, are you sure you want-"

"Don't worry…it just feels like tonight is the right night to do it. No catch."

Soon after they left the baths and dried themselves off, heading into their room to dress up and take some clothes for the next morning-not saying a word to each other. Their keys were returned to the clerk as they headed out with a spare umbrella courtesy of the inn and walked over to the more commercial district of the small beach town, where the typical tourists and inexperienced travelers went until they found a suitable hotel. The rain continued pouring just as hard as it did what felt like hours ago, forcing the two to snuggle close beneath their shade. Kuroi supported the tool while Konata kept to the other hand. She tried making sense of what Konata was doing, was she still in a panic? "You know Konata, if we're doing what I think we're doing it won't change anything."

"I know. It's just…are we really going to break up?"

"You keep asking that question. Konata, I…I really rather not say it. I'm going to cry again if I have to."

"Then…after tonight, say it. I won't believe it unless you say it." That familiar, playful smile bubbled up on Konata's face. "If I hear you say it…I think I can believe it and try to understand what you said, just make sure you're naked when you do. It'll lessen the blow a little."

Kuroi chuckled, and then giggled but the laugh flew out into the night air, louder than the rain itself. She didn't know if it was funny enough for such a stir, perhaps any reason to laugh right now would be useful. "Yeah, I'll be naked if it helps." It was odd but playing around helped, it really did. _"Another thing I learned about myself,"_ Kuroi muttered. She wrapped her arm around Konata's shoulder as they walked into the tourist-business district where the hotels stood tall and seemed to light the night for only a few feet more.

They signed up for a room immediately at a surprisingly clean and seemingly luxurious hotel, an uncommon sight for a beach side town. Natural sounds oozed into the lobby, the splashing waves and bird caws were taken advantage of by the building. The clerk explained that businessmen and the occasional politician utilize the establishment for city budgets and gatherings regarding monetary assets from the tourism. "I hope you and your sister enjoy our room," the woman said, passing Kuroi the key.

"Sister? Oh…well, okay."

"My sister's the dominant one," Konata casually said.

"Excuse me?" asked the clerk.

"Nothing. We better hurry to our room," Kuroi said, sliding her hand past the woman's vision and near the end of Konata's back, giving the girl a push.

"Help, my sister will ravage me and whisper mathematical facts as she does it!"

"Shut up!"

The two waited for an elevator in the carpeted hallway, enjoying the dim lighting only perfect for the night. It came quickly, only letting out a handful of guests and one worker. The two scurried in afterwards, Konata pressing the eleventh button as her teacher supported herself with a single elbow on the wall, trying to evade another mischievous eye attack from her girlfriend. "Hey big sis," Konata said. "Ready to rough me up?"

"Oh be quiet," Kuroi said, finding a grin pop into her lips. "Perverted little runt."

"Come on big sis, let's play, let's play! I'll be the bunny and you can be the wolf since mommy and daddy aren't home to catch us!"

Kuroi was leaning in closer to her elbow, not wanting to let the perversion stretch that smile any further. "That's nasty Konata."

"No onee-chan! That's my special spot!"

"You're killing me here. I can't take it…"

"Then laugh onee-chan, laugh and let it all out!"

Kuroi couldn't help it; she must have adopted a sick sense of humor from the otaku because she could no longer resist the onslaught but Konata didn't end there, she sent her fingers to play on the ribs. "Konata, cut it out!" Kuroi happily pleaded. "You're such an ambusher!"

"I know, that's what makes me great. I'm unexpected." The teen then ceased all playing and gently fell onto her teacher's front, back against a stomach fresh from tightened laughter. It was natural to hug someone so small pressing against one's body, keeping that person warm and well protected. "You know why I want to do this right?" she asked, looking up into the older woman's eyes.

"Yeah, I know. Sort of a last night in paradise right? Before we accept what's going to happen. Well, let's my guess at least."

A pair of small, quivering hands gripped onto Kuroi's. "No, you're right. But…I think we can work things out. There's always a solution right? We can think of something, all this fun wasn't for nothing."

Kuroi rested her chin on top the blue nest below; her fingers squeezed those wrapped around hers. "If you love something, you would be willing to let it go. I never thought that phrase would count for relationships too."

"That's why I want you to say it, to say you have to let me go."

"Hmm? Why? I don't get it."

"Dumb ol' sensei. Already well aged and losing her hearing."

"Hey!"

"Here's our floor!" Konata pushed the large arms off of her and ran out of the elevator, stopping to look back at the blonde leaning over herself. She followed after recovering herself, snatching up the otaku's hips and pulling her in.

"Gotcha! You know you never tease a woman about her age."

"You're not supposed to be dating a student either." Konata pointed out.

"Yeah, well you're not supposed to be dating a teacher. Take that!"

"I guess I'm the devil in this relationship. It fits me better than an angel though."

Noticing the numbers starting to increase on the doors, they took a turn around a corner and found their room in a hallway. "The pressure would be on me then, I don't want to be good all the time," Kuroi said as she slid the card key down the door lock. "We can both be devils. Especially tonight."

The two kicked their shoes off and stacked their spare clothes onto the dresser. Hearing the beach, Konata opened the window, catching a glimpse of the ocean and the hauntingly invisible horizon lost in the black. She felt a presence behind her, then its arms sliding past her neck and along her chest, hands on her stomach. "Are you absolutely sure about this Konata? We don't have to do this even if this may be our last night before…well, the end begins."

"Yep, I'm sure. I was ready on the beach wasn't I?" She headed for the bed and hopped on, lying on her back with both elbows keep her raised. Kuroi stepped over to the front of the bed, no longer seeing a naughty streak in those eyes before her; they wielded a nervous but excited glisten that lured her in further. Loosening her hair, she allowed her golden hair to unfold and fall behind her-a sight that caught the otaku's attention every time. Crawling until she overshadowed the petite prey, her hair surrounded Konata's face like a curtain, making the soft first kiss feel more private and special.

They found themselves kissing each other over and over again making their hands want to explore and for the first time Konata was allowed to hold onto her sensei's chest. Kuroi did the same, teasing how she got ripped off before starting to grip onto the bottom of Konata's shirt, pulling it off quickly and glad the teenager below knew to positioned herself to let it slide off faster. As the one on top, Kuroi unbuttoned her shirt slowly, watching warmly as she instantly became the focus of attention. It wasn't long before they were completely bare before each other, Kuroi's chest spreading over Konata's, both their long hair blended into each others' as they held hands and kissed. "I love you Nanako," Konata panted out as the teacher began nibbling on her neck, sending a halt to their activities and a silence down onto the scene. Konata chuckled and placed her glided her hand delicately along her lover's chest until she felt a heartbeat. "Don't worry; I know you love me too."

"Konata." Kuroi kissed her roughly this time, grabbing her wrist this time and holding her head with the other hand. She wanted Konata to know it, to express it tonight, in the most physical way she knew. "Tonight's for you Konata, okay? Don't ever doubt how I feel about you, no matter what."

"Tell me something new," Konata playfully said. "I promise to be with you in the end, ok?"

Kuroi let out a quick, dark laugh. "Tell me something new Konata."

"Wait for me then."

Kuroi stopped and leaned over Konata, amazed at the serene confidence played back at her, a pleased, bed haired girl laid next to her with arms bent back, bedroom eyes and a small, almost adult smile filled with teeth. "Even if I leave, wait for me okay?"

"Konata, you say that now…I don't know if…if any of us can do that. Who knows how long it will take if it there's any chance at all."

"I know it's a hard decision to make, you're already a Christmas cake but you don't have to decide now; we have an entire month left to be together. In that time I still want to think of a way for us to be together, I would try almost anything to stay with you."

"Don't worry Konata, I think I know what I'll decide to do."

"What is it?"

Kuroi leaned closer towards her, her lips right next to her ear, her tone neither seductive nor stable. She muttered shakily, "When you graduate I'll tell you. If it's good, you'll know but if it's painful…I don't know what will happen. For now let's just enjoy the time we have together." She nibbled an ear and caressed the flat chest of her girlfriend, smelling a nice, fragrance from all the blue hair. Konata wrapped her arms and legs around her lover and began breathing heavily as the couple grew friskier with every passing second, letting out everything good inside them. Forgetting the pain ahead, just for one last evening, forgetting how hard their break up would have to be, and ignoring the request Konata made that ran through Kuroi's mind a thousand times before it even passed those young lips, they kissed countless times and touched each other with passion. The night was still young and the two wanted to play, play until breathing, moving, and even seeing would be a difficult task.

It wasn't until early afternoon the next day when Konata awoke in a thick daze to her cell phone ringing and vibrating across the counter. She remained in her teacher's arms as she stretched her arm behind her and attempted numerous times to find the phone with her hands, unable to fully grasp the blurred object. "I can…Yui…see" she tiredly mumbled before falling back to sleep in a nest of wild bed hair and weary bodies. It wasn't until the phone rang two more times when she finally grabbed it. "Hell…Heav…noooo…hello? Officer?"

"Are you drunk or something Konata?" Yui asked, the irritation in her voice piercing through any fatigue. "Where are you, we're about to leave to see visit the marine biology museum."

"I'm at a different hotel with Nanako, we decided to play around a bit."

"Play around? You don't mean…"

"I'm really tired, I feel like I can barely move so I think I'll just spend the day here with Nanako. Go on without us, we need our sleep." She hung up the phone, letting it fall out of her hand with gravity as she was too worn out to return it to its spot. Yawning loudly, she snuggled up with her teacher and fell back to sleep, forgetting for now what had to happen, what she needed to accept.

When they finally awoke later with the sun at its peak it was inevitable. It wasn't until after a large lunch at a diner when the two fell silent in the midst of eating their meal, waiting for those ending words to fall down like a guillotine. Uneasy stares that would bounce off like opposing magnets were common every time they looked at each other. Sometimes they would attempt to mutter something out but never failed to stop after a single syllable. Last night's escapade was only remembered physically through their lingering fatigue. The dread spilling into them blocked any other way for that memory to reach them, or any thought regarding their relationship because for now they were stuck in nexus, on a bridge neither wanted to cross. Konata reflected on telling her girlfriend simply not to say it and that they can remain together. Kuroi thought the same. _"I've really fallen deeply in love with this girl,"_ she thought to herself. _"I can barely bring myself to say this. God, I'm losing it completely. I don't want to do this...this sucks!"_

The stress was obvious, the teacher's expression warped from focsued, to bothered, and to anger, each face discreetly changing to the next. _"I've got so many things I want to do with her, so much time I want to spend with her...look at her. The best thing that's happened to me in a decade and I can't be a part of it. I just want her to be happy though...and doing what's best for her future and happiness, I wouldn't be much of an adult for her keeping her away from all that would I? But I'd be happy." _Somewhere down the line, in thost short six months, it was too little time to decide it clearly but the two decided to they were in love, deeply in love with one another. They never said, letting out their emotions through their actions and efforts, learning more about one another and selflessly doing things they didn't particularly like as long as it could make the other happy. Arguing brought them closer together, sleeping over and visiting each other strengthened their bonds and simply sitting next to each other on a boring day seem to make life feel perfect. Kuroi looked weakly into Konata's eyes, bags of fear crawling underneath her own and a heart beating with horribly fast. She relived those good times, recalling Konata's feel, smell, touch, voice, and her cute body. In the midst of a newly sprung love and affection she could never match, Kuroi decided to prove how she felt, how much she loved that petite sack of cuteness, fun, geekiness and maturity sitting across from her. "K-konata…after graduation I think we should...break up."

The teen's voice caught itself, stuck between a gasp and a coughed yelp. The urge to argue had to be kicked down, the desire to absolutely refuse the proposal and shout out confidently that this was ridiculous and love prevailed was beaten into the back of her mind, drowned with cement blocks to its feet. Konata let out a shaky smile, this did prove love prevailed, to cause the both of them pain so one could be happier. Konata found it impossible to argue in this situation, she knew exactly what Kuroi felt. "Y-yeah…that's what's best for me after all right?" A pair of tears instantly rolled down her face, quickly brushed by the back of Konata's hand, pulling the ones out of Kuroi's eyes as well. Any longer and not confirming this issue would have formed a misery worst than what they expected. Konata's cracked voice worked out words as best as she could, finally giving in to the truth and letting it all completely sink in. she couldn't' forget about it anymore and Kuroi's words was the trigger she needed. "Yeah…that's what's best after all. For my own good, for experiences and to learn more about myself…so I won't grow up regretting it."

"Konata…"

"But still, I'll think of something. If I can't, just wait for me okay?"

Kuroi wiped her eyes. Those words had to wait until graduation. _"I've already decided this before you even asked me last night Konata, and it makes it so much more painful for me…when I have to say it to you after you graduate. It'll hurt a lot, but at least you won't be suffering as much as I would."_

* * *

Author's Note: This chapter was only slightly easier than the last but it holds a lot of meaning. I didn't bother to re-edit some of the later parts so let's see how that turns out but I have good confidence in this chapter, everything seemed to go right. But you know it's hard putting so much effort into an outline only to completely change everything as you begin to write the chapter! Oh, and just in case anyone's looking for accuracy about the Japanese school calendar…don't. This is done by the State's typical school calendar where high school will typically end in May. You know, I never actually pinned down when they started dating-I'm just assuming early January in order to avoid writing an Xmas chapter. I wish I knew their birthdays though, if anyone knows tell me! And lastly, check out my forums about my yuri novel if you're interested.

Konata: Are we going for a bad end? Is it too late to check the dating game forums for the proper choices?!

Kuroi: What if the girl being courted wants to be with the main character? You think I'm getting to let some rules or gameplay system stop my love?! I'm Serpent Nana! Who the hell do you think I am?!

Konata: Tag team technique!

Kuroi: Giga!

Konata: Drill!

Kuroi & Konata: BREAKER!!!!

Author: Ouch! My eye…that hurt you guys.

Kuroi: Oh, sorry.

Konata: Yeah, we didn't mean to actually hurt you.

Kuroi: I sorta did.


End file.
